


Dangan Ronpa: Dead on Arrival

by gonta



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Fangan Ronpa - Fandom, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Original, Fangan Ronpa, Gen, Murder Mystery, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2018-08-22 06:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 84,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8276209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonta/pseuds/gonta
Summary: Sixteen teens. One mall. One bear. One semester of mutual killing.This is a script style Dangan Ronpa story, featuring original characters and an original storyline. Readers will have the opportunity to choose who the main character spends time with, and audience participation is encouraged. Please feel free to comment your theories and ideas!Updates will be erratic, so I recommend subscribing if you want to know when they are posted.





	1. Prologue: Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall (Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> Here's what some of the different text formats mean.
> 
> This is written in a script style, so most text will be written in this format:  
> EXAMPLE - Character: This is some dialogue.
> 
> "Stage directions", or character actions/emotions, will be noted in brackets.  
> EXAMPLE - Character: [waves hands around] I'm following a stage instruction.
> 
> Bolded text is our protagonist's internal monologue, and will often contain descriptions of the setting and actions taken by others. Italicized text just indicates emphasis.
> 
> Starting after the second update (Prologue Part 2), characters will be available for interaction. Please feel free to vote for them, so I'm not just blindly picking! 
> 
> Any references to other material made in each update will be explained in the end notes. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [EDIT 9/17/17: Overhauled many of the introductions, began removing honorific discrepancies]

**Hope's Peak Academy is really the creme-de-la-creme, isn't it?**

 

**You'd be hard pressed to find a more prestigious school. The world's most talented teenagers are funneled into it, and emerge on paths to near-guaranteed success. People give up their life savings to get accepted there, and even then they can only be treated as painfully average reserve students. There was a news story a few months ago about a woman who was trying to sell her newborn child so that her son could afford a scholarship. Seriously, it's that fancy.**

 

**Everyone who gets accepted here has a special skill or circumstance of their birth that sets them apart from the rest. They are the best in their fields, almost natural-born prodigies. Famous artists, athletes, actors, and more people whose jobs don't start with the letter A have been among their ranks. The school even has fanboys. Fanboys! For a school! Can you believe that?**

 

**And here I am. I'm standing in front of Hope's Peak, an entrance letter in hand. It looks even bigger than it does on TV or in the newspapers. It made me feel very, very small.**

 

**But who am I?**

 

Urogataya: My name is Rumi Urogataya, I'm the SHSL Perfumer.

 

Urogataya: It's nice to meet you! But I dont really know what I'm doing here…

 

**I mean, sure, I work for my family's perfume company. We've been in the business for generations. But here's the thing: I'm not exactly employee-of-the-month material. I have a strong sense of smell, yeah. But do I work hard? Have I created a revolutionary new scent? Not really. The letter was clearly addressed to me, though, so who am I to complain?**

 

**And I feel just great. It's almost as if I'm dreaming! Someone pinch me if I'm dreaming!**

 

**..........**

 

**..............**

 

**.......**

 

**....................**

 

**... And then I woke up.**

 

 **It took me a minute to register my surroundings. I could see… the sky? But it didn’t really look like the sky. It was an unnatural shade of bluish-purple, dotted with hazy clouds. Tops of what appeared to be buildings almost scraped it. In fact, they looked** **_too_ ** **close to the sky. I realized with a start that it was a painted ceiling, and that I was a chump.**

 

**I heard a couple of thudding noises coming toward me. I tensed up, but I was too tired to move. Was this the end of Rumi Urogataya? Was I about to get my face squashed by someone’s metal-toed shoes?**

 

**A girl’s face appeared in my field of vision, standing above me. She had large pigtails, and one of her eyebrows was cocked in amusement. Without a word, she squatted down, took my hand, and pulled me up.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, thanks!

 

???: It’s… no problem, really. You were out for quite some time.

 

Urogataya: E-eh?

 

???: That’s right. [smooths hair] Everyone who came here woke up within the last hour, or so. I believe I was the last one awake before you, so I get the… _pleasure_ of introducing you to everyone else.

 

Urogataya: Really? Aww, poor you.

???: …

 

Urogataya: Hey, I was just joking. Who are you, anyway?

 

???: My name is Suzue Arakawa. It’s a pleasure.

 

[SUZUE ARAKAWA - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BALLET DANCER]

 

 **I wasn’t able to find very much information about some of my fellow classmates, but Suzue Arakawa had amassed considerable fame over the past several years. I don’t know much about ballet, but she was a lead in a traveling Japanese production of** **_La Bayadere._ **

 

Urogataya: Hey, you’re a ballet dancer, right? I never thought that a ballet dancer would be… you know, so serious.

 

Arakawa: [Blank expression] I don’t know what you mean.

 

Urogataya: Aren’t ballerinas… you know… kinda ditzy? I went to school with a couple girls who did dance as an extracurricular. They were kinda like that. All like "oh, I wanna be an idol so I should learn to dance so I can get scouted", y'know?

 

Arakawa: …

 

Urogataya: …  
  
  
  
Arakawa: What?   
  
  


Urogataya: ...Anyway, the name’s Rumi Urogataya. Nice to meet you… non-ditz?

 

Arakawa: … Let’s go meet the others, shall we.

 

**You’re off to a great start, me. Great job.**

 

**As we walked off, I began to take better notice of the area around me. We were surrounded by stores, most of which were barred off, but a few remained open. As we pulled out of the hallway I had woken up in, we entered a main corridor. It was separated into two sides, with the middle being taken up by a long canal. A gondola bobbed up and down in the water. The whole place had a very peaceful, but eerie atmosphere. Maybe it was the fake sky.**

 

**Suddenly, it hit me.**

 

Urogataya: Is this… is this a mall?

 

Arakawa: I would assume so. But I have never seen one like this in Japan. From what I know, malls like this seem to be more common in places like Las Vegas... ones with canals, at least.

 

Urogataya: Weird… why would they put us in a mall? [gasps] Are we buying school supplies?

 

Arakawa: I do not know.

 

???: Hey, A-arakawa-san!

 

**Looking down, I noticed a boy standing in the gondola, waving. He was wearing a plethora of heavy scarves.**

 

Arakawa: Oi. This is Rumi Urogataya. She just woke up.

 

???: Oh! Uh… I might have to account for that. [Takes out a piece of paper and scribbles on it] Hm-hm. Yeah, there’s sixteen people here now, I think. Anyway, I’m Samuru Torisei. The Super High School Level Cartographer!

 

[SAMURU TORISEI - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CARTOGRAPHER]

 

**This was one of those students I wasn’t able to find much info on. As little as I know about ballet, I know even less about mapmaking. Apparently, this kid travels a lot?**

 

Urogataya: What’re you doing?

 

Torisei: [Holds up the paper. There’s a crude outline of a building’s floor plan on it.] I’m trying to plot out the area here, so I can check out some points of interest later. I… uh… I could make a copy for you, if you want. 

 

Torisei: B-but don't think you have to... to ask me to do anything! Y-yeah... 

 

Urogataya: Oh, thank you! Maybe later, I want to try to explore this place myself for a bit. Arakawa-san’s showing me around.

 

**Arakawa raised her eyebrow at me... was I being too personal already? Eep! She's so scary...**

 

Torisei: [Nods] Alright! I’ll s-see you later, I guess.

 

**He seems nice enough. Maybe a little hesitant? Sort of like an introvert, or something. Huh.**

 

**We continued walking for a little while, and I noticed a strange hallway off to the right. It didn’t appear to contain any stores, just a few rows of doors with faces crudely drawn on them in lieu of nameplates. I couldn’t make any of them out.**

 

Arakawa: I was… curious about those, myself. They appear to be dorms of some sort.

 

Urogataya: Dorms? In a mall?

 

Urogataya: I go shopping with my friends a lot... I don't think I've seen any malls with hotels in them. Maybe they have them at one of those big ones in Saitama? 

 

Arakawa: [Blank stare] ... 

 

Urogataya: I dunno, it was just a guess. I'm just trying to make this situation a little less weird, okay?!

 

Arakawa: It’s very odd. We may be staying more than a few days here. How peculiar.

 

**Arakawa pulled me into some kind of coffee shop. A few bookshelves lined the walls, mostly filled with magazines. A coffee bar was set in the back, but it appeared deserted.**

 

**Two people were hanging around here: A freckled boy, and a massive, hulking girl in a checkered skirt. I decided to talk to the boy first.**

 

???: Sure is big here, ain’t it? I gotta say, I wasn’t expectin’ the city to be like this. [small smile] I haven’t really seen you around here.

 

Urogataya: Name’s Rumi Urogataya, I’m the Super High School Level Perfumer. Are you some kind of country bumpkin?

 

**Great, just great. Me and my big mouth. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be offended.**

 

???: Don’t worry, I get that a lot. Or... actually, I don't. But I've been expectin' it, so I just geared myself up for it.

 

Urogataya: Uh... fair, I guess... 

 

???: [Sticks out his hand] Goro Ando. Super High School Level Cowherd. Pleasure to make your ‘quaintance.

 

[GORO ANDO - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL COWHERD]

 

**I expected him to make some kind of joke about whether or not I had "heard of cows", but he didn't. Maybe it didn't cross his mind.**

 

Ando: You drink coffee?

 

Urogataya: Yeah, but… not now. Besides, there’s no one at the counter.

 

Ando: [Looks over at the counter] Oh yeah, I noticed that. I ain’t really a coffee-drinker myself, I just came in ‘cause it’s real cozy-lookin’. Outside, it’s real… yanno…

 

Urogataya: ... Empty?

 

Arakawa: [Standing by the entryway] minimalist?

 

???: [Looks up from their magazine] stark?

 

**The other girl in the room suddenly spoke up, making me jump. I don't think anyone else had the same reaction, though...**

 

Ando: Clean, I guess…

 

Ando: I mean, 's empty in here, too. Don't they usually have employees at these kindsa places? 

 

Ando: [Thoughtful] Urban lifestyles continue ta elude me... 

  

Urogataya: Um, okay! I think I gotta go, Ando-kun.

 

Ando: Alright! Whenever you feel like talkin’, yanno where to find me.

 

**He seems like a pretty chill guy. Does everyone here have a talent I know nothing about, though? I don’t know anything about cowherding, except for the obvious - it involves cows, I guess. Maybe I should bring it up if we ever talk again.**

 

**The other person - the person who had spoken when Ando was at a loss for words - was a tall, imposing girl. She was undoubtedly fat, but in an almost motherly way, and she had a strangely pretty face. She was intently reading a magazine that she had no doubt pulled from one of the shelves.**

 

???: [Clicks tongue] Would you look at this, huh?

 

Urogataya: E-eh?

 

???: [Shows Urogataya the magazine cover] I wonder how people like this get away with these things. It’s truly awful…

 

**The magazine looked fairly recent. Among a slurry of unrelated statements, the featured headline read “Yakuza Hitman Strikes Again! Are Japan’s Major Gangs Safe, And Why Should We Care?” The cover image was a slightly blurry photo of a fat teenager in a suit making a rude gesture at the camera.**

 

???: [Shakes her head] “Why should we care…” we should care because innocent people's’ lives are in danger from this menace. Isn’t that reason enough? [clenches fist] I swear, if I ever meet this guy, I _will_ bring him to justice. Mark my words.

 

**W-wow, a little intense, aren’t we?**

 

Urogataya: Uh… sounds fun. Good luck. Anyway, who are you?

 

???: Oh, I’m sorry! I must have forgotten to introduce myself. I get caught up in a fervor sometimes.

 

???: Call me Chiemi. Chiemi Baisotei. I look forward to getting to know you better.

 

[CHIEMI BAISOTEI - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BODYGUARD]

 

**Chiemi Baisotei… Now, this was a name I had heard before. She’s been a bodyguard for some of the world’s most important and famous people. She’s probably most well known for fending off an assassination attempt on the American president while he was on an ambassador trip to Japan… or something like that. I don’t keep up with politics very much.**

 

**I've also heard something in the news about her being good with kids, but that still didn't change the fact that she could probably crush my skull between her thighs...!!**

 

**Naturally, I was kind of intimidated.**

 

Urogataya: I kind of doubt you’ll have to fend off any bad guys here… I don’t think bad guys get accepted to this kind of school.

 

Baisotei: [Shakes head] Mmph… You may be wrong about that. Thieves, sukebans, convicts -  they’ve all been accepted to Hope’s Peak in the past, just for being good at their… craft. I have not met any here, but if there were any, I would not let them put the rest of this class in danger. 

 

Baisotei: [Closes eyes] Defending those who are considered humanity's hope would be my highest honor as a bodyguard, just as I'm sure it would be anyone's.

 

Urogataya: Wow! If I ever get in trouble, I’ll be sure to call you, then.

 

Baisotei: [Nods] By all means. If you ever need anything, please feel free to come to me. 

 

**Having met everyone in the coffee shop, I walked back over to Arakawa. She had been leaning against the entryway the whole time, a bored look on her face.**

 

Urogataya: You don’t want to talk to anyone?

 

Arakawa: I’ve met them already. I don't have anything else to say to them, anyway. 

 

Urogataya: Oh…

 

**It still surprises me that she's so cold all the time... maybe she's a bit of an ice queen? I bet I could get her to warm up a little, though!**

**Maybe! I dunno!**

 

**With that, we walked back into the corridor. I noticed a girl with a short, angular haircut standing outside, readily analyzing the outside of some stores. I decided to take a closer look, dragging Arakawa along with me.**

 

???: [muttering] Seems distinctly European in form… most likely Venetian. Rather odd for a mall here to have this kind of structure… at least they did not go for glass walls. [shakes head] It would have been horribly tacky.

 

Arakawa: Hello, Irie-san. This is the Super High School Level Perfumer.

 

Irie: [Looks up] Ah. You woke up. Allow me to introduce myself.

 

Irie: I am Kurenai Irie. The Super High School Level Architect. I primarily do urban projects.

 

[KURENAI IRIE - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ARCHITECT]

 

**Man, I've seen weird avant-garde fashion models in magazines, but she almost looked like one. Her shoulders were broad and angular - in fact, most of her body was hard lines and angles. She looked like she'd be an awful cuddler, but she was very pretty in a cold kind of way.**

 

Urogataya: Oh yeah, I know you! You designed the stadium in Kobe, right?

 

Irie: [small smirk] Naturally. It was one of my first projects. 

 

Urogataya: My class at my old school went on a field trip there last year. I thought it was pretty cool! We saw a concert! I’m Rumi Urogataya, by the way. From the Urogataya corporation. If you've heard of them- I mean,

 

Irie: I have.

 

Urogataya: Hey, you have to tell me what you do to your hair! How do you get it like that? It looks really good, and-

 

Irie: Fascinating. As _scintillating_ as this discussion is, I’m a bit occupied right now. [Returns to studying the walls] I’ll see you later, Urogataya-san.

 

**Wow, she sure is standoffish. What’s her deal? I know people generalize people from the city as being rude, but I’m from the city and I don’t act like that… do I?**

 

**Arakawa led me away, leaving Irie to do whatever it was she was doing. I tried to make some small talk with her, but she didn’t seem very interested. We eventually reached a clothing store. While it mostly contained pre-made clothing, there was a section at the back for various types of fabrics that were hung on the walls.**

 

Urogataya: Clothing, huh?

 

Arakawa: At the very least, it isn't one of those especially trashy stores. I cannot read the store sign, but I assume it's a reputable dressmaker.

 

Urogataya: Trashy...?

 

**A girl with mauve-colored hair wearing a furry coat was gushing over a white flowy dress on display in the center of the store. Arakawa once again started leaned back at the entryway, and raised an eyebrow at me. I approached the girl.**

 

???: Oh my gosh. This is, like, one of those classical European cuts! This is just so... nngh... Some of my clients would give their lives for these, I can’t believe one’s just right here! Like, what are the odds?

 

Urogataya: Uh... hello? Hey.

 

???: [Waves] Hiii! You’re a student too, right?? I think everyone here's a student! It just wouldn't hurt to check!

 

Urogataya: Yeah! The name’s Rumi. Rumi Urogataya! I’m the Super High School Level Perfumer.

 

???: Of Urogataya Cosmetics? Ohhhhhh my god, I love your stuff! My clients request makeup artists who work with it, like, all the time.

 

Urogataya: Your clients?

 

???: Yep! [Wide smile] I’m Minami Tachibana, the Super High School Level Wedding Planner. It’s totally great to meet you, Urogataya-chan!

 

[MINAMI TACHIBANA - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WEDDING PLANNER]

 

**I’m a little surprised she knew about the family business. Then again, she might have looked me up online. I had read a little about her, myself: she’s done several celebrity weddings, and is well known for her meticulous detail work when it comes to organizing events. It seems like a pretty glamorous talent - more glamorous than "cowherd", anyway.**

 

Tachibana: [Clasps her hands together and sighs dreamily] I wanted to come to Hope’s Peak, and see new relationships blossom among my classmates. I want to help them along! [Frowns] But, like, I’m not sure what to make of this situation. I love shopping, but why are we here instead of at school?

 

Urogataya: That’s what I’m trying to figure out, I guess. You’re a matchmaker, too?

 

Tachibana: No, silly! I just have a genuine interest in _l’amour_ , you could say, even if I'm not too into pursuing it myself. The weddings I plan are 100% satisfaction guaranteed! No one who’s had one has gotten divorced yet!

 

Urogataya: That’s… impressive?

 

**For the Super High School Level Wedding Planner to not want to get married herself... it seems a little odd, but I'm not one to judge people's life choices. She probably has her reasons.**

 

Tachibana: [Thoughtful] You look like the kind of person who's, like, confessed to someone and been rejected. If you need any help with that here, I can try to help you! 

 

Urogataya: ?!

 

**How would she know about the time I confessed to Tsumemaru-kun in middle school? Guess that's a SHSL student for you.**

 

Urogataya: Anyway, I think I should go meet the others. I’ll see you later!

 

Tachibana: Delighted to meet you, Urogataya-chan! If anyone catches your eye, you know who to call.

 

**In the back of the store, a sordid-looking girl in a long skirt was handling the fabrics. She appeared to be deep in thought.**

 

Urogataya: Um… Yo! Hello?

 

???: …

 

Urogataya: [waves her arms around] Hey?

 

???: [looks up] Yes?

 

Urogataya: I think we have to introduce ourselves. I’m Rumi Urogataya. Nice to meet you!

 

???: Do I, like. Have to. 

 

Urogataya: I'm not gonna make you...? But I think it'd help me have something to think of you as aside from "girl in long skirt".

 

???: [Grimacing] So, you're some kind of funnyman, are you. You make the jokes. 

 

Urogataya: I'm, uh, sorry... 

 

???: Whatever. I don't care. 

 

???: Daian Dazai. Dollmaker.

 

[DAIAN DAZAI - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL DOLLMAKER]

 

**... _This_ girl is the Super High School Level Dollmaker, who does those online auctions that people nearly kill each other over? I would have expected someone much cheerier to be fitting the bill for that talent, instead of the human personification of the word "pallid". **

 

Urogataya: Dolls? So like… What kind? 

 

Dazai: Ball-jointed. 

 

Urogataya: That'd make more sense than what I was thinking. 

 

Dazai: Which was?

 

Urogataya: Uh... voodoo dolls. 

 

Dazai: [Deadpan] Oh, wow. Congratulations. You're the first person ever out of the seven billion people on Earth to ever say anything like that to me, ever. Your originality makes children weep in the streets. 

 

**...Oh.**

 

Urogataya: Um... hm. You have anything else to say?

 

Dazai: No.

 

**She immediately returned to sifting through the fabric and pretending I wasn't there.**

  

Urogataya: ………..

 

Dazai: ………..

 

**It’s clear that she doesn’t want to talk. I wonder what I said wrong? Maybe she’s just a naturally asocial person.**

 

**Still a bit shaken from our encounter, I returned to Arakawa. It felt as if we had been going around the mall for a while.**

 

Urogataya: How much more of this place is there? Seems pretty big… are there more floors?

 

Arakawa: … Actually, we’ve almost reached the end of this side. I believe you can find the answer to your second question… there.

 

**I turned and looked in the direction in which she was gesturing. An escalator was located at the end of the corridor, its treads moving up. However, its top was blocked off by a large metal grate, rendering it impassable.**

 

**There were two other things of note about the area: A bridge over the canal, and a boy standing at the foot of the escalator. More like a man, really. He was huge! He squinted up at the top, shielding his eyes with a hand.**

 

Arakawa: Oi. Any luck?

 

???: No. Tried to climb it. I think the grate’s electrified.

 

**He pointed, and I noticed a humming sound coming from the grate. It occasionally crackled and emitted a bright spark. I shuddered.**

 

Urogataya: ...Ouch.

 

???: [Glances at Urogataya] You’re up. I thought you were dead, or something. You were out for a while.

 

Urogataya: Uh… I’m not dead! Surprise!

 

???: [Blinks slowly] Alright. Once, I slept through a 24-hour day. I guess it could’ve been something like that.

 

Urogataya: E-eh?

 

???: Oh, yeah. I’m Junichi Watanabe. Got accepted here for rock climbing. It’s a sport I do, I guess.

 

[JUNICHI WATANABE - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ROCK CLIMBER]

 

Urogataya: How… how did you sleep for a whole day?

 

Watanabe: [Bluntly] I turned my alarm off the day before and forgot about it.

 

Urogataya: Oh…

 

Urogataya: How do you climb rocks if you’re so sleepy? Won’t you fall asleep halfway through and fall off?

 

Watanabe: Very funny.

 

 **It wasn’t really a** **joke…**

 

Watanabe: I wouldn't fall off. You use safety equipment for that... most people do. I don't.

 

Urogataya: S-so you just climb rocks with your bare hands? LIke, with not even a tether or anything?

 

Watanabe: ...Why would I need a tether.

 

Urogataya: ... 

 

**Just talking to this guy makes me drowsy... it's like when someone else yawns, and you can't help but yawn back.**

 

Watanabe: [turns to Arakawa] you got any idea what the others are up to?

 

Arakawa: Two are in the coffee shop, two are in the clothing store. Torisei-san managed to get into the gondola, and Irie-san is in the hall. If I remember correctly, three are in the food court, and two are in the drugstore. One is by the fountain. The “mistress of the night” or whatever is nowhere to be found, however.

 

Urogataya: M-mistress of the night? Arakawa-san, are you okay?

 

Arakawa: I’m perfectly fine. I don’t know if she is, though. That girl...

 

**Watanabe grunted in agreement. I felt a shiver crawl down my spine, despite not having the faintest clue who they were talking about.**

 

Arakawa: Urogataya-san, would you like to go to the other side? There are more people over there, should you want to meet them. 

 

Urogataya: Uh… yes, please! It was nice meeting you, Watanabe-kun.

 

Watanabe: Bye.

 

**We crossed over the canal bridge, the water flowing calmly beneath us. Soft blue lights pulsed under its surface. From the other side of the canal, it had appeared to be a row of chained-off stores. Now, I noticed a hallway leading into another part of the mall.**

 

**A large marble and turquoise-tiled fountain was positioned in the middle of the area, a fish-shaped sprinkler spouting water out of its mouth in the center. Behind it, a large sign marked “FOOD COURT” hung over the entrance to a larger room. The only store open in the fountain area was a drugstore, like what Arakawa said.**

 

**A dark-skinned boy with hair in tight braids was sitting on the edge of the fountain, looking oddly relaxed in spite of the situation at hand. When he saw us coming toward him, he gave us a quick wave.**

 

???: Oy, hey there! Everyone thought you weren’t gonna wake up. Glad to see you’re alive and kicking!

 

**Why is everyone under the impression that I was dead? This is becoming a weird trend...**

 

Urogataya: W-well, I’m up! Alive and kicking! Yep!

 

???: [Smiles] Good to know. My name is Crane Omiata, I’m the Super High School Level Capoeirista. It’s nice to meet you!

 

[CRANE OMIATA - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CAPOEIRISTA]

 

**He had a strange way of speaking, that made it immediately clear that he was a foreigner - if his appearance didn't give that fact away already, at least.**

 

Urogataya: A what? S-sorry, I don't think I've heard of that. 

 

Crane: A Capoeirista! [Smiles] I practice _Capoeira_ , a form of martial arts. I’ve been doing it since I was… seven, I think? 

 

Crane: [Thinking] It's a cultural institution in my home country of Brazil. 

 

Urogataya: You’re from Brazil? That’s so far away!

 

Crane: Yeah, my whole family is from there. I’ve never traveled this far without the rest of them before. I’m sure that everyone else here has traveled a lot - especially Torisei-kun. He was talking about it earlier.

 

Crane: [Brightens up] Oh! I just remembered. If you want to know more about capoeira, you can talk to me any time. Or ask Arakawa-chan, since she’s a fellow dancer.

 

Arakawa: [grumbles] I know little to nothing about this.

 

Crane: [Smiles widely] You can learn!

 

Arakawa: I’d rather not.

 

**Crane seemed to take the hint, at least, and his expression froze for a second before returning to normal.**

 

Crane: Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Urogataya-chan! I hope we can talk again.

 

Urogataya: Same here! See you later, Crane-kun!

 

**What was up with how Arakawa was acting back there? I decided to offhandedly mention it to her as we approached the drugstore.**

 

Urogataya: I don’t mean to be rude, but you were kind of… weird back there. Something on your mind?

 

Arakawa: [turns quickly to Urogataya] It's not of any relevance to me what others do. People make it into this school for being focused on their field, not for being well-rounded. 

 

Arakawa: If not for formalities, learning anything about these people would be detrimental. The only thing I should be focused on is my own field. Distractions are not needed.

 

Urogataya: O-oh…

 

**Needless to say, I was somewhat taken aback. She seemed to be getting more sullen as the day went on.**

 

**Fortunately, the drugstore housed a few people who definitely… broke up the tension, for at least a few minutes.**

 

**The drugstore seemed pretty standard, containing a variety of everyday products. Toiletries, over-the-counter medicine, stationery… even snacks and soda. For a drugstore, it seemed exceptionally clean.**

 

**Two boys were sitting on the front counter, using it like it were a couch. One, who had green eyes and was wearing a collared shirt, had taken a roll of scratch-off tickets from behind the counter and was diligently scratching away at them with a coin. The other, a ratty punk with dyed hair and buckteeth, was watching intently. A smirk alighted on his face.**

**...What a weird-looking guy.**

 

Preppy boy: Here we go… going in for another win… [holds up the card triumphantly] Boom, another 5000 yen!

 

Punk boy: S-seriously, there's got to be some kind of a trick to this, doesn’t there? You gotta teach me. I could seriously use this, you don’t even know, man.

 

Preppy boy: [grins, ever so maliciously] No tricks, my man. Just pure, concentrated-

 

Arakawa: [coughs] Gentlemen.

 

Punk boy: Hey, look, it’s Sleepin’ Beauty! Good mornin’, Princess! You have a good nap?

 

Urogataya: …

 

**Rude.**

 

Punk boy: I kid, I kid. Yasuo Nosaka’s the name, hustlin’s my game.

 

[YASUO NOSAKA - SHSL HUSTLER]

 

**This guy’s been in the news a few times, so I’ve heard about him. Embezzlement, ponzi schemes, thievery - Yasuo Nosaka has been involved with it all. He has an uncanny knack for getting other people’s money, no matter how unscrupulous his methods are. There's even a newspaper in Osaka that runs a weekly feature on him in an attempt to expose him. Talk about dedication.**

 

**I don’t understand how he gets people to hand over their cash to him, though… he seems like a rat.**

 

Nosaka: [Lowers his voice to a smooth, husky tone] Charmed.

 

**I felt my skin crawl... that's one question answered, at the very least.**

 

Preppy boy: [puts down the scratch card] I dunno how I’ll redeem this, though, since there’s no one here and the cash registers are empty… [looks up at Urogataya and grins] I’m Noboru Murakami. Super High School Level Good Luck.

 

[NOBORU MURAKAMI - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL GOOD LUCK]

 

**I wasn’t able to find ANYTHING about Noboru Murakami online. I’m not even sure what constitutes being lucky enough for it to be considered a talent. He carried himself too cockily for him to be some nobody, though. He looked pretty innocuous despite his smirk, but I made a mental note to keep an eye out for him.**

 

Urogataya: Super High School Level Good Luck, huh? How does that work?

 

Murakami: I figured you’d ask that. I’ve been getting that question all day, because no one seems to do their research. They do a lottery every year, and the winner gets to join the main course. They get a scholarship and everything! I figured I’d get invited sometime. I’m naturally lucky.

 

Nosaka: [Whoops] You got that right! I’ve only known Murakami-kun for an hour ‘r’ so, and when we found these tickets, he kept winnin’ every time! What the hell's the deal, anyway?! You're too good at this shit to be just some normal-ass guy!

 

Murakami: [mock bows] Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. I’d like to thank the academy.

 

**I happened to glance over at Arakawa during this whole ordeal. She looked as if she were trying her best not to storm right out of the drugstore right then and there. There are a lot of things I’m not good at, but taking a hint is not one of them. I cleared my throat.**

 

Urogataya: Well, it was cool talking to you, but we’ve gotta get going. We have to meet everyone else, yeah?

 

Murakami: I see. [Waves] Well then, ta-ta!

 

Nosaka: Later, Sleepin’ Beauty!

 

**...Geez.**

 

**As we walked out of the drugstore, Arakawa’s face looked stormy. I wanted to say something, but now definitely wasn’t the right time. We entered the Food Court in silence.**

 

**As a perfumer, I’d like to think that I have a pretty good sense of smell. The array of scents that hit me when I entered the area outmatched anything I had smelled before. Freshly cooked food, from restaurant booths featuring multicultural dishes and snacks. My mouth started watering. When was the last time I had eaten?**

 

**Since the room was the biggest non-corridor area in the mall, it would make sense that the most people were in there. And by “the most”, I mean three. So the room still felt pretty empty.**

 

**A girl was standing in front of a dessert display, leaning close into the glass. The other two people in the room were boys - one was sitting at a booth, tuning a guitar. The other was at another table, somehow simultaneously eating and grumbling.**

 

**I decided to approach the boy with the guitar first, since he seemed the least intimidating. His long hair covered his eyes, and he had a green flannel shirt tied around his waist. He nodded when he saw Arakawa and I approaching.**

 

???: Yo. This place is killer, right?

 

Urogataya: I’d say! It smells delicious in here. God, I’m hungry.

 

???: [nods] True. I was thinking more about the acoustics, though. The ceilings are so high… this could be a great concert hall, or something.

 

Urogataya: You’re a musician, aren’t you?

 

???: Nope, my dude. I’m an accountant.

 

Urogataya: Er…

 

Arakawa: We don’t have the time to be playing games, you know.

 

???: [raises hands in protest] Sheesh, Arakawa-kun. I was only joking. [Turns to Urogataya] Hi. I’m Amida Goto, Super High School Level Bassist. It’s cool of you that you came to say hi.

 

[AMIDA GOTO - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BASSIST]

 

**Amida Goto… Now, that was a name I had heard before. The band he’s in, Padding the Lily, is one of the world’s most premier alternative rock bands. Though not as widely beloved as some idol groups, it has a popular fanbase. From what I’ve read, Goto is regarded as the chill, quirky member of the band.**

 

Urogataya: Oh my god! I love your work. You know, my old friend used to be a huge fan.

 

Goto: [smiles] That’s great. I hope you don’t want me to sign anything, though. I don’t have any pens. You seem real chill, though. Keep it real.

 

 **...**  

 

Urogataya: That's... it?

 

Goto: ... 

 

Goto: [Points to his cheek] I only rehearsed up to that point, dude... I've been saying that to everyone. When I gotta say more, my tongue gets all tripped up. 

 

Urogataya: Alright?

 

**With that, he went back to tuning his guitar. Seems like a nice guy, but maybe a little dumb.**

 

**The other boy’s grumbling had gotten a bit louder, so I decided to avoid him for now. Instead, I went up to the girl at the dessert display. Her hair was plaited into two braids, and she was clearly foreign - but in a different way than Crane had been.**

 

Urogataya: Hey! I’m Rumi Urogataya, I’m a perfumer. Who’re you?

 

???: Ah! You will have to forgive me, you see. My Japanese, it is a little rusty, yes.

 

**Her accent was really thick. It was difficult to understand her, but I kept that to myself.**

 

Urogataya: It’s alright, I get that.

 

**No, I didn’t.**

 

???: [curtsies] _Guten tag_. My name is Giselle Vundergaarde. I am enrolled as the “Super High School Level Chocolatier”. It is… pleasure to meet you, Rumi.

 

[GISELLE VUNDERGAARDE - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CHOCOLATIER]

 

**Giselle’s name was a name I had heard even before I was enrolled in Hope’s Peak. Her chocolates company, Weißerberg Chocolatiers, is one of the top producers of fine candy in the world. At a product launch party my family had, once, someone brought chocolates from there. I can attest, what she makes is legit.**

 

Giselle: So. You are… aware, of these circumstances?

 

Urogataya: Eh?

 

Giselle [Gestures vaguely] This is not school. I woke up here _kuerzlich_ … er, little while ago… and am confused. No explanations given.

 

Arakawa: Vundergaarde-san, none of us were given an explanation. We’re all confused. Don’t make yourself out to be the only one, just because you’re a fish out of water at the moment.

 

Giselle: Suzue… just Giselle is fine. Vundergaarde-san, that is my mother.

 

Arakawa: …….

 

Giselle: I will be fine.

 

**With that, she went back to studying the desserts. She seems a bit odd, but nice nonetheless. Was that German? Maybe they’re kind of aloof in Germany.**

 

**I could tell Arakawa was definitely beginning to get irritated. I clapped her on the back.**

 

Urogataya: We’re almost done, y’know! Only two people left, right?

 

Arakawa: Yes. [Frowns] But the remaining two are… rather difficult.

 

Urogataya: What do you mean?

 

Arakawa: That’s for you to find out.

 

**I couldn’t really stall any longer, so I approached the last boy in the room. He was rather broad-shouldered, and was wearing a full suit with a blue tie. He had been eating a container of packaged sushi, and his face was practically red with anger.**

 

???: [closes the container] Ergh. Disgusting... people eat this? People  _willingly_ eat this? Hard pass. 

 

Urogataya: The sushi? It’s meant to be fast food, I think.

 

???: Fast food or not, food in such an institution- no, in any institution - should be held to a higher standard of quality. There is no excuse.

 

**I glanced around at the restaurant booths that lined the walls. All of them appeared to be fully stocked. I gave Arakawa a look, and she shrugged.**

 

Urogataya: Why didn’t you… take some of the fresh food, then? It seems like it would be a better option.

 

???: [Scoffs] And eat food that could very well be days old? I think not. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s no one in this entire area. I’m not eating spoilage, and it pays well to be wary. 

 

Urogataya: … Wait, I think I know you. Aren’t you that critic guy?

 

???: Not _that_ critic guy. _The_ critic guy, thank you very much. Akira Handa, if you will.

 

[AKIRA HANDA - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL EPICURE]

 

Handa: Charmed, I’m sure.

 

Urogataya: So… Handa-kun… what do you think of all the other students?

 

**He started staring hard at the table, avoiding eye contact with me. I felt myself starting to sweat.**

 

Handa: The vast majority of them are... unfortunately precariat. Why do you ask?

 

Urogataya: Erm… never mind. I think I’m gonna go. Nice meeting you, Handa-kun.

 

Handa: If you must call me by my name, I would prefer "Handa-san". Thank you.

 

Urogataya: Aight?

 

**As I walked away, I started to remember more about the rude, snivelling snob I had just spoken to. Akira Handa writes for a rather bougie food magazine, and is rumored to have an extremely refined palette. Entire restaurants have gone under because of negative reviews from him. Personally, I thought that he was insufferable, and Arakawa seemed to agree. We both skedaddled out of there pretty quickly.**

 

Urogataya: That’s fifteen, including us, right? Who’s the last student?

 

Arakawa: She's... a handful.

 

Urogataya: Is it that “mistress of the night” person you mentioned earlier?

 

Arakawa: [sighs] Unfortunately. I’ve searched this whole complex after we all - well, except for you - woke up, but after our initial meeting, I have been completely unable to find her. She’s a real pain, that Rowe-

 

???: Who calls? Who speaks the name that burns the tongues of devils? A brave one indeed, I would think.

 

**I jumped a bit. Arakawa merely looked annoyed. A janitorial closet across the hall had creaked open, and someone peered out of the crack. She was… strange-looking, to say the least. She wore deep red and black Victorian-style garb that contrasted with her pale blonde hair. Her eyes were an odd shade of pale grey, giving her a ghostly appearance.**

 

Arakawa: Speak of the devil. Urogataya-san, this is… Rowena Christine St. Bathory. [Mutters] Obviously, not her real name.

 

Rowena: Do you doubt me, dancer? This assumption may be grave, for I know more than you could ever imagine.

 

[ROWENA CHRISTINE ST. BATHORY...? - SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL HORROR HOST]

 

**The last student I met was someone who I had not heard of until I went to go look up my classmates online. Apparently, she hosts some kind of underground horror podcast. Grisly serial killers, supernatural occurrences, even government conspiracies... Rowena handles them all, and from what I heard has even collaborated with several popular Western podcasts on the same subject. I personally can’t stomach gore, so I didn’t look into it much further. She had an intimidating presence, and she never made anything but direct eye contact. Another shiver went down my spine, in spite of myself.**

 

Rowena: Nay, be wary, fragrant one. Machinations are at work here, that even I do not understand. Beware, for the breaths you took before awakening here may have been your last as a free man! 

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] KWAHAHAAA!

 

Urogataya: Um…?

 

Arakawa: Rowena-san. We do not have time for this nonsense.

 

Rowena: Then, I shall flee. Beware those who speak in tongues, fragrant one... that is all the wisdom I shall offer. [closes the door]

 

Urogataya: ………

 

Arakawa: ……….

 

**We barely had time to reflect on the bizarre meeting before the mall’s intercom crackled to life. A squeaky, screechy voice, belonging to none of the students I had met, resounded throughout the building.**

 

???: Er, mic check! Mic check! Can everybody hear me?

 

???: Great! Everyone needs to come down to the fountain area at once. This is an order from your… headmaster. Be there in ten minutes, or you’ll miss out on some very important announcements!

 

**After that, it clicked off. Arakawa looked at me, her eyebrow raised in curiosity. I took her hand, and we headed off towards the fountain together.**

  
**Little did I know that I was about to enter a living hell.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's worth noting that this story is inspired by Margorgle's Dangan Ronpa: Legacy of Despair, and koopakirby's Dangan Ronpa: A New Horizon of Despair. You should check those out, they're great!
> 
> Thanks for reading so far! If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please tell me. Also, please help me out by voting on characters to have free time events in chapter one!
> 
> [EDIT 7/22/17: removed some extraneous text. If you want to find refs of these characters, skip to the end notes of chapter 3.]


	2. Prologue: Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall (Part 2)

**As we waited around, more and more people began to flood into the fountain area. Most of them looked rather disgruntled and confused. There was an air of nervousness that no one seemed to be able to shake. This whole situation just seemed off, and it seemed like everyone agreed.**

 

Handa: This had… this had better be good. I was in the middle of something important.

 

Goto: Like what? I was in the room with you, dude. All you were doing was eating and complaining.

 

Handa: Precisely.

 

Torisei: S-seems like whoever that was is a little late… we’ve been waiting here for a few minutes, but nothing’s happened.

 

Nosaka: [scoffs] Am I being fucking punked?

 

Dazai: Probably not.

 

Giselle: The voice… they say they are “headmaster”, yes?

 

Irie: Yes. Why?

 

Giselle: Before coming, I look up videos about Hope’s Peak. I watch a speech that headmaster, Jin Kirigiri, made. His voice… do not sound like _die ankündigung_ … the announcement. Is not screechy. [Takes a chocolate bar out of her pocket and begins to nervously eat it]

 

Crane: I agree with Nosaka-kun. Maybe this is some kind of game show. They have a lot of those here, don’t they?

 

Baisotei: I think that’s kind of a stereotype, isn’t it?

 

Watanabe: [at the same time] You don’t even know.

 

Rowena: It would seem… I sense an odd presence here. Trouble is afoot. Flee, while you still can, for it may already be too late.

 

Ando: Pardon, but what?

 

Murakami: I can translate! She’s saying that shit’s bad and she’s some sort of goth freak.

 

Tachibana: [pouts] Murakami-kun! Don’t be mean!

 

Murakami: I’m not being mean, I’m being honest.

 

**In the midst of everyone’s chatter, I noticed that Arakawa was oddly silent - even more so than normal, in fact.**

 

Urogataya: Arakawa-san. Are you alright?

 

Arakawa: [clenches fist] I don’t like this.

 

Urogataya: L-listen, I know everyone’s being kind of annoying, but-

 

Arakawa: No, not that. This whole setup. I don’t trust it. It reminds me of a book I read, once. It-

 

Baisotei: I’m going to take matters into my own hands, for the good of everyone else. [shouts] HEY! COME OUT, STRANGER! IF IT’S A FIGHT YOU WANT, THEN IT’S A FIGHT YOU’LL GET.

 

Dazai: Q-quit shouting...

 

???: My, my, we’re certainly overzealous, aren’t we? And punctual, too! Great job arriving here on time, upupupupu….

 

**Everyone looked around in confusion. Though the voice sounded closer than it did over the loudspeakers, its owner was nowhere in sight. An uneasy feeling began to spread throughout my body. I noticed Ando had begun to sweat, and Tachibana was nibbling on her fingernails.**

 

**One person appeared unfazed by this whole situation, however.**

 

Handa: [staring harshly at the fountain] Reveal yourself, right now. You’re not funny, and you’re not clever. Stop this trickery before I go find something better to do.

 

Crane: Geez, Handa-kun-

 

???: Wow, you’re a piece of work, aren’t you? I guess I have no choice but to obey, though. Hah~!

 

**With that, a shadow appeared from behind the fountain. It jumped onto the fish statue on the top, its arms stretched out to either side. I began to regret wondering where the voice was coming from, and it was clear that everyone else felt the same way.**

 

Torisei: H-huh?!

 

Ando: Th’ hell?

 

Giselle: _Mein Gott…_

 

Rowena: [points accusingly] You! You fiend, you devilish creature! Return to from which you came, at once!

 

**I found myself at a loss for words, though… as much as I tried to deny it, there was no mistaking the identity of the speaker. From its round, pudgy belly up to the nubby ears that sat on top of its head, it was clear what this was meant to be.**

 

**It was a bear.**

 

**Don’t get me wrong, I like bears. I think they’re cute. But this… this was a different ball game entirely. The bear was split down the middle - its left half white, and its right half black. The left side of the bear could almost be considered cute, with its button eye and small mouth. But the right side… its eye was a jagged red streak, and its mouth was set in a wide, crooked grin.**

 

**It was like something out of a horror movie, one where some girl’s creepy toys come to life and make her enemies’ lives a living hell.**

 

???: Good morning, you slimy bastards! Looks like all sixteen of you are here. Pity, I thought we would have started already by now. Oh, well.

 

Irie: What do you mean, “started”? You’re the one who took so long to get here.

 

???: Oh, no, no, Irie-chan. I didn’t mean starting this meeting. I meant starting the wonderful, fantastic game we’re about to play! Upupu!

 

Crane: Yesss, I knew it!

 

???: I’m your headmaster, principal, and adorably cuddly mascot… Monokuma! And you’ve all been selected… for the Mall Life of Mutual Killing!

 

Urogataya: …

 

Arakawa: …

 

Goto: …

 

Giselle: …

 

Crane: W-wait, I take back my “yesss”. WHAT?!?!

 

**I was frozen in shock, but I agreed. Yes, WHAT???**

 

Monokuma: Crane-kun, you’re so touchy. Allow me to explain!

 

Monokuma: See, unless you comply, you’re all gonna be stuck here forever! But, upu, there is a way to leave! All you have to do is kill someone, and don’t get caught!

 

Baisotei: Th-this is reprehensible! I will not have it!

 

Monokuma: Oh, really? Well, too bad, Baisotei-chan. You shouldn’t have signed up if you were gonna be such a pansy about it!

 

Baisotei: [Face getting increasingly redder] I didn’t sign up for this!

 

Tachibana: You… can’t be serious, can you?

 

Dazai: I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.

 

Baisotei: Yes, it’s completely illegal! I swear, I will report you to the authorities!

 

Monokuma: Do you realize how completely silly you sound? You’re trying to arrest a bear, and you think that _I’m_ the one who’s crazy!

 

Goto: Not cool, man.

 

Watanabe: How are you so calm about this?

 

Torisei: W-wah… I c-could be asking you both that question! Th-this is scary…

 

Handa: Calm down, you plebeians!

 

Murakami: [Strikes a mock dramatic pose] I’m too young and hot to die! Nosaka-kun, if I die, you can have all my lottery winnings!

 

Nosaka: [Legitimately distressed, but puts on a cool facade anyway] Sw… sweet… Thanks. [Suddenly enraged] Okay, enough jokin’! What the FUCK is this! Let me out!

 

Monokuma: Sure I will! All you have to do is commit a murder, Nosaka-kun.

 

 **Everybody stopped cold at the sound of those words. It was clear that the truth was beginning to set in. If you stood still, you could almost hear the sound of the gears turning in everyone’s heads. No one wanted to admit it, but it was clear that everyone was at least** **_thinking_ ** **of trying to get out.**

 

Monokuma: Great! You’re all quiet, now. And it only took you… how long? I don’t know, myself!

 

**With that, he threw down what appeared to be a cardboard box. Several rectangular devices were inside of it, each one inscribed with a Hope’s Peak Insignia.**

 

Monokuma: These lovely little things are your Electronic ID Cards, or your ElectroIDs, if you will! They contain your info, and some important information about your fellow students. Be warned, using another person’s ElectroID at any time will result in punishment!

 

Ando: Punishment…?

 

Monokuma: Executions, Ando-kun!

 

Ando: [Pales]

 

Monokuma: Well, since you volunteered, and because your name’s first alphabetically, you can pass them out!

 

Ando: M-me? Uh, okay. [Clears throat] Here’s mine… Arakawa. Baisotei. Bathory. Dazai.

 

**One by one, the other students went up to Ando to get their cards. They did so with varying degrees of apprehension.**

 

Ando: Goto. Handa. Irie. Murakami. Nosaka. Omiata. Tachibana. Torisei. Urogataya.

 

**I heard my name being called, and forced myself to move forward and take a card. I couldn’t bring myself to open it and see what was inside, so I just stood there as the roll call continued on. Nothing against Ando, but he wasn’t doing a very good job making the situation seem much better than it was.**

 

Ando: Uh… Vundergaarde. And Watanabe. I think that’s everyone.

 

Rowena: Ando, do not consort with the enemy. You may be one of simple mind and simple upbringing, but the dark side has nothing to offer for one such as yourself.

 

Ando: Huh? I ain’t…

 

Monokuma: Hey! Quit yapping, I’m not done explaining yet! You have to get through the exposition before you can get to the meatier parts of the game, you know. Haven’t you ever played a video game before?

 

Monokuma: Anyway, there’s some rules on here. Read ‘em later, I’m not wasting time on them now!

 

**Despite what he said, a few of the students had opened their ElectroIDs and were looking through the rules.**

 

Handa: ... Is rule six about me? Were you listening in on my personal conversations?? How dare you, you filthy wretch.

 

Monokuma: Upupu, too bad! I’m the headmaster, so I can do whatever I want.

 

Irie: Just because you are our supposed “headmaster” does not make you some sort of omniscient god.

 

Monokuma: Well, would you rather have to call me your “omniscient god”? I think that’s a fantastic idea!

 

Nosaka: Great job, Irie. Great life choices on your part! We’re all gonna fuckin’ die here and you’re splittin’ hairs!

 

Giselle: Ah, no! Very bad!

 

Watanabe: We should start a riot. You guys want to start a riot?

 

Crane: [flexes] sounds okay with me!

 

Murakami: FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

 

Arakawa: [Sighs]

 

Monokuma: Upupu, violence against the headmaster is-

 

???: THAT’S ENOUGH!

 

**We all looked over to see Baisotei, her face red with anger and dripping with sweat. The room fell silent. The look on her face was determined, and she pointed a finger at all of us.**

 

Baisotei: We will have no fighting. As long as I am here, I will protect you all. But for now, please stop causing a ruckus. We don’t even know if anyone’s actually gonna murder anyone else! We need to organize a strategy. [Eyes glinting in determination] Tomorrow morning, we will meet at the food court and devise a plan.

 

**The aggressive, paranoid chatter that once permeated the room was all but gone. Even Murakami, who I wasn’t sure knew how to be serious, was quiet, a bit of a scowl on his face. Some people looked like they wanted to say something, but no one did. I tried to snap out of the stupor I had been in.**

 

Arakawa: I think that’s a good idea, Baisotei-san.

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah, I agree! We should… try our best to stick together.

 

Baisotei: [Smug] What do you have to say to that, Monokuma?

 

Monokuma: …

 

Monokuma: [Smirks]

 

Monokuma: You’re going to be murdered first, aren’t you?

 

**With that, he vanished as quickly as he had arrived. He left nothing behind but a radically changed atmosphere and sixteen distrusting teenagers.**

 

Watanabe: … I never did like bears.

 

Arakawa: [Crosses her arms] Alright. Before we do anything, everyone needs to share everything they found out about this place. No one can leave until we’ve discussed everything useful. Urogataya, care to start?

 

**Eh? Why me?**

 

Urogataya: Erm… there’s no one here.

 

Dazai: [Rolls her eyes] Thanks.

 

Arakawa: [Shoots daggers at Dazai] Any information is helpful information, Dazai-san. I don’t see you sharing anything.

 

Dazai: Well, a lot of the stores are chained off. Their signs have been removed, too. I tried to look through their windows, but they were empty.

 

Tachibana: It seems like a pretty fancy place! Most of the clothes in the clothing store are, like, designer. I need to try some on later.

 

Irie: [Nods] I agree.

 

Tachibana: Awww, thanks, Irie-chan!

 

Irie: No, not about the clothes. Those aren't important. This is definitely an upscale place. The architecture… it’s not inexpensive.

 

Nosaka: All the cash registers are empty, and stuff. Not like I was plannin’ on doing anything with the money, but-

 

Goto: Yeah, you were.

 

Nosaka: Can it, guitar fucker!

 

Watanabe: There’s a second floor, but it’s blocked by an electric fence. I couldn’t see what’s up there.

 

Rowena: What evils could be lurking above? It very well may be a powerful demon, bent on destroying us all from the inside out…

 

Murakami: It couldn’t possibly be up there. It was right here a couple of minutes ago. [Grins]

 

Nosaka: [High fives Murakami] DAAAAAMN!

 

**It wasn't... that clever, really...**

 

Baisotei: [Nods] Alright. It’s getting late, I think we should all go to our dorms. We’re gonna need the rest, especially after this. They’re across the canal, if I remember correctly.

 

**With that, everyone began shuffling in a line over to the dorms. No one bothered to say goodnight to anybody else, but I couldn’t blame them. It didn’t seem like the time to be doing that. I found the door with what I assumed to be my face on it, and slowly clicked it shut.**

 

**The room was alright. It was furnished in a sort of Western style. There was a full-sized bed pushed into the right corner. A couch and coffee table sat in the corner near the door. I had assumed that there would be a desk, but instead of one, there was a large vanity complete with a mirror with makeup lights. A few bottles of perfume sat on it. Whoever was in charge of decorating wanted to make the rooms seem personal, I guessed. It didn’t work, though. I felt farther away from everyone than ever.**

 

**I collapsed on the bed, holding back tears. It wasn’t like me to cry, but… I figured that it was appropriate.**

 

**It would turn out alright, though, right? We could work together, and no one would get murdered. Yeah, that was it. We just had to hope, and everything would turn out right in the end.**

 

**But really, what did I know?**

 

**Absolutely nothing.**

 

**_PROLOGUE: HEAVEN LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE MALL_ **

 

**_END_ **

 

**_16 Students Remain_ **

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: Lately, it’s been hard being me. I’ve had to be in all sorts of places at once! And don’t even get me started about January.

 

Monokuma: “But Monokuma-senpai!” you say, an earnest youth who’s ready to learn. “How do you do it?”

 

Monokuma: It’s simple, really. Whenever sixteen high school students gather in one place, I get alerted.

 

Monokuma: Kind of like the bat signal, or whatever you kids like nowadays.

 

Monokuma: Then I spring into action, like a bear in the night!

 

Monokuma: … By the way, thanks for purchasing “Dangan Ronpa - Dead on Arrival”

 

Monokuma: What? You didn’t pay for it?

  
Monokuma: Not everything’s free, you know! You dirty dog! Get out!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks for reading! I'm very happy to be putting this project out there. After the beginning of chapter 1, free time events will begin. Please feel free to vote for who gets an event by commenting, or by voting here: http://www.strawpoll.me/11409450
> 
> Coming out next are character report cards/descriptions, and then Chapter 1. I hope you've enjoyed this so far!  
> Who do you think will die first? Comment your theories and suggestions!


	3. Character Report Cards + Physical Descriptions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Updated 7/22/17]

**Rumi Urogataya**  
Height: 172 cm (5’8”) / Weight: 130 lbs / Blood Type: A  
Likes: Crystals, the Internet, carbonated drinks  
Hates: Harsh white light, distance running  
Talent: Super High School Level Perfumer

 

Has long, greyish-black hair with sideswept bangs, tied in a loose ponytail. A single strand of hair pokes up from the back. Her eyes are a shade of plum purple, and she has an average complexion. She wears a standard-issue school seifuku with a knee length skirt. It's black and grey with purple accents. An emblem is embroidered on the left breast, and she has a pin fastened to its collar. Under the skirt, she wears black fishnet stockings with clunky combat boots. She has an average voice for a girl her age, and speaks confidently. She has an average build, although she’s a bit lacking in the chest area.

 

 **Crane Omiata**  
Height: 177 cm (5’10”) / Weight: 178 lbs / Blood Type: O  
Likes: Sharks, seafood, fighting games  
Hates: Formal dancing, anime  
Talent: Super High School Level Capoeirista

 

Has dark brown hair, separated into two thick, smooth braids that rest on his shoulders. He wears a light blue tank top, dark blue sweatpants with a brand logo on the side of one leg, and flip-flop sandals. His skin and eyes are dark brown, and his lips are rather full. He speaks in a smooth, hearty voice. He’s relatively muscular, but not overly big.

 **Minami Tachibana**  
Height: 163 cm (5’4”) / Weight: 115 lbs / Blood Type: A  
Likes: Flower arranging, poetry, scented candles  
Hates: Rowdy parties, getting dirty  
Talent: Super High School Wedding Planner

 

Has curly fuchsia-colored hair, which mostly flows down her back save for two small buns on either side of the top of her head. Her eyes are pale blue, and her skin is fair. She wears a pale pink sweater dress with a detachable faux-fur collar, white tights, and brown suede ankle boots. She has a high-pitched, wavery voice. She’s short, and has a girlish figure.

 **Amida Goto**  
Height: 168 cm (5’6”) / Weight: 140 lbs / Blood type: B  
Likes: Water lilies, grunge rock, dango  
Hates: Meat, schoolwork  
Talent: Super High School Level Bassist

 

Has black hair that reaches his shoulders. It covers his eyes most of the time, except in more serious moments. His eyes are green, and slope down a bit, giving him a drowsy look. His skin is slightly tanned. He wears a black tank top and blue board shorts, and has a green-and-blue flannel jacket tied around his waist. His shoes are blue flip-flops. His manner of speaking is a little dopey, and his voice is moderately deep. He has an average body type. Often shoulders a guitar case.

 **Kurenai Irie**  
Height: 183 cm (6’0”) / Weight: 145 lbs / Blood type: O  
Likes: Cat’s cradle, anchovies, logic puzzles  
Hates: Tourists, clutter  
Talent: Super High School Level Architect

 

Has light grey hair cut into an angular, undercut style. Her eyes are a similar shade, and she has rectangular eyebrows with a catscratch in the left one. Though her lips are full, she has a very serious and hard-cut face. She usually has a pouty expression on her face. She wears a black tank top with rectangular cutouts along the top that goes up to her neck. Her pants are high-waisted and pale lavender, and she wears high heels that add to her height. She has a cold, grounded voice. Her body type is very willowy, although her shoulders are a bit broad.

 **Samuru Torisei**  
Height: 166 cm (5’5”) / Weight: 136 lbs / Blood type: AB  
Likes: Tea, hang gliding, falcons  
Hates: Energy drinks, travel pillows  
Talent: Super High School Level Cartographer

 

Has light brown hair that almost covers his eyebrows, that spikes up in the back. Wears a blue headband over it. His eyes are hazel, and he's rather pale. There are a few strange-looking blue tattoos on his face that resemble carefully-placed splotches. He wears a large blue patterned poncho-sweater combination thing that covers his neck, with very long, flowing sleeves. He also wears many scarves. He has a tan bag slung over one shoulder. He’s the shortest guy of the bunch, and has a frail body type. His voice is a high tenor.

 **Daian Dazai**  
Height: 170 cm (5’7”) / Weight: 150 lbs / Blood type: B  
Likes: Alone time, gothic novels, embroidery  
Hates: Konpeito, pastel colors  
Talent: Super High School Level Dollmaker

 

Has short, faded black hair, in which she wears two blue barrettes. She has a pale complexion and noticeable bags under her dark blue eyes. She wears a dark grey blouse with a peter pan collar and short sleeves, and a long, blue skirt with suspenders. Her shoes are scuffed-up brown hiking boots. Dazai has a considerable slouch, and an average body type with pert, perky breasts. Her voice is low for a woman, though she doesn’t speak often.

 **Noboru Murakami**  
Height: 174 cm (5’9”) / Weight: 160 lbs / Blood type: AB  
Likes: Gold, whittling, fancy suits  
Hates: Losing, doing laundry  
Talent: Super High School Level Good Luck

 

Has dirty blond hair in a neat center part, with a noticeable cowlick. It sticks out a bit below his ears. His eyes are almond-shaped and green, and his complexion is fair. He usually has a sly, calculating expression on his face. He wears a white collared T-shirt, black jeans, and green rainboots. He has a silver necklace with a pendant shaped like dice on the end. His voice is averagely toned, but he usually sounds very confident and self-assured. He has a skinny body type.

 **Giselle Vundergaarde**  
Height: 176 cm (5’9”) / Weight: 156 lbs / Blood type: A  
Likes: Bunnies, sweet things, rustic decor  
Hates: Matcha, hand cramps  
Talent: Super High School Level Chocolatier

 

Has dark brown hair with blocky bangs, plaited into two braids. She has a round, friendly face and brown eyes, and usually wears light makeup. She wears a slightly hoopskirted black dress with a brown corset and pinafore over a lacy grey shirt. Her shoes are plain mary janes. She’s a little curvy, and has an average complexion. She speaks choppy Japanese with a heavy German accent, and usually transposes German words into her speech when she doesn’t know how to put what she’s saying. Her pockets are full of chocolates.

 **Goro Ando**  
Height: 180 cm (5’11”) / Weight: 180 lbs / Blood type: B  
Likes: War history, warm food, leather  
Hates: Urban areas, bullfighting  
Talent: Super High School Level Cowherd

 

Has dark blond hair that reaches down to his mid-neck. He has tan skin and freckles from working out in the fields, and his eyes are a shade of yellow-green. He wears a black tank top with a weird symbol on it over a white one, some faded grey pants, and sneakers. He wears a piece of rope around his neck like a choker. He has broad shoulders and is relatively well-built. Speaks with a bit of a twang.

 **Chiemi Baisotei**  
Height: 196 cm (6’5”) / Weight: 230 lbs / Blood type: A  
Likes: Trips to the countryside, hot food, old books  
Hates: Tweens, horror movies  
Talent: Super High School Level Bodyguard

 

Has long brown hair that falls in sheets, and covers her right eye. Her eyes are red, and she usually wears lipstick that matches. She has two piercings on each ear. She wears a white collared shirt with short sleeves, and a long, black-and-red checkered skirt. She wears brown boots and garters. Baisotei towers over the other girls, and has an imposing body type. She’s rather overweight (although she is very fit), and has large breasts. She speaks in a low, hearty voice.

 **Yasuo Nosaka**  
Height: 168 cm (5’6”) / Weight: 130 lbs / Blood type: AB  
Likes: Pop punk, rodents, ASMR  
Hates: History homework, being outsmarted  
Talent: Super High School Level Hustler

 

Has black hair with the tips dyed cranberry red, it’s done up in an odd combination of a scene kid haircut and a mullet. His eyes are black and beady, and his pupils are small. He has two piercings on his right eyebrow. Nosaka has a bit of an overbite, and his front teeth stick out considerably. He has sparse facial hair on his chin and above his mouth. He wears a white T-shirt with a red design on it, under a black leather jacket with red straps on the sleeves. He wears black jeans and black combat boots. He has an average body type, although his shoulders are a little wide. He speaks in a medium-pitched, snide voice most of the time, although he’s capable of using a low, smooth voice when he wants to get what he wants.

 **Suzue Arakawa**  
Height: 167 cm (5’5”) / Weight: 120 lbs / Blood type: B  
Likes: Freerunning, city nights, opera  
Hates: Blisters, monkeys  
Talent: Super High School Level Ballet Dancer

 

Has deep red hair knotted into broad pigtails. She has dull green eyes, and freckled skin. Her eyebrows are strong, but not thick. She wears a grey tank top with a tall neck, and black shorts. She has bandages wrapped around her wrists and lower legs, and wears black ballet flats. She has a strong, graceful body type, evocative of a typical ballerina. She has a surprisingly soft, cold voice.

 **Junichi Watanabe**  
Height: 203 cm (6’8”) / Weight: 215 lbs / Blood type: O  
Likes: Gardening, monster movies, dried nori  
Hates: Hard work, bats  
Talent: Super High School Level Rock Climber

 

Has dusty rose-colored hair that falls down to his mid-back. It’s stringy and unkept. Watanabe is a bit tan and heavily freckled. He wears a standard black gakuran with gold buttons, and brown shoes. A length of climbing rope is attached to the side of his belt. He’s absolutely massive, being very muscled and broad-shouldered. He has black, tired eyes. His teeth are set a little funny, but it’s not immediately obvious. He has a deep, mellow voice with little inflection.

 **Rowena Christine St. Bathory**  
Height: 160 cm (5’3”) / Weight: 106 lbs / Blood type: AB  
Likes: Radio shows, velvet, dark colors  
Hates: Sunlight, being interrupted  
Talent: Super High School Level Horror Hostess

 

Has pale blonde hair that falls in waves down her back. Her eyes are hazel, and she has an exceptionally piercing gaze. She’s probably the palest of the students. She wears a wine-and-black-colored victorian gothic dress with puffy sleeves. She has black lacy bracelets with red stones and gold chains on them. She also wears a large maroon hat, with black plumes and a masquerade eyemask attached to the wide, floppy brim. She speaks in a low soprano, and puts on a husky, dramatic tone when talking. She’s the shortest student, and has a dainty body type.

 **Akira Handa**  
Height: 188 cm (6’2”) / Weight: 182 lbs / Blood type: B  
Likes: Film noir, classical music, fancy restaurants  
Hates: Bad food, the rabble  
Talent: Super High School Level Epicure

Has dark blond hair in a short, asymmetrical cut. His eyes are dark blue, and his complexion is average. He has a prominent, blocky nose, and a permanent scowl. Handa wears a black three-piece suit with a dark blue tie and jacket collar. His shoes are also dark blue, and very polished. While not particularly muscular, he has broad, prominent shoulders. His voice is moderately deep, and he speaks rather formally the majority of the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [EDIT 7/22/17: you can find refs and fanart for everyone here: http://toyhou.se/sousano/characters/folder:188262  
> I welcome fanart, please feel free to do it :>]
> 
> There's another strawpoll, this time concerning "design notes": information about characters that won't be revealed during the actual story, such as secret backstories, unused executions, and ooc notes on the creation of their characters. Please vote, if you can! http://www.strawpoll.me/11488247
> 
> Free time event voting is closed, thanks to everyone who voted! Expect to see Chapter 1's first update within a week or two.


	4. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 1)

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I stay students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. It’s time to start the day!

 

Monokuma: ...Get up, you lazy bastards. And if you just hide in your room, you’re only prolonging your inevitable death! Upupupu!

  


**_CHAPTER 1: SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP... DEAD_ **

 

**_START_ **

 

**_BUY ONE GET ONE FREE: (AB)NORMAL DAYS_ **

  


**As hard as I tried to hold the pillow over my face, I still heard the announcement. Somehow, I guess that I had slept through the one that was supposed to happen last night. Even after a stressful night’s sleep, Monokuma’s voice wasn’t any more pleasant than it initially was.**

 

**My first instinct was to go back to sleep. Maybe if I slept enough, I’d wake up at home or at a dorm at Hope’s Peak. This would have all been a dream, and I could go back to my home life or to school like a normal person. Deep down, however, I knew that no such thing was possible.**

 

**After mindlessly putting on my clothes and going through my morning routine, I exited the dorm. Most of the doors to the other dorms were still closed, which either meant that everyone was still asleep or that they had gone on to the food court already. As I stood there considering this, a familiar smell reached my nose. Was that…**

 

Urogataya: B-bacon?

 

**I left my room, making sure to lock the door, and headed on over the bridge to the food court. The closer I got to the area, the stronger the smell became. I was almost salivating, it smelled so good. Pushing open the door, I was met by an awe-inspiring sight.**

 

**Food covered almost every surface in the area. Plates of eggs, toast, rice, natto - and yes, the aforementioned bacon - sat placidly on ceramic yellow plates. Behind one of the counters, Handa was in some kind of fervor, cooking up a storm. Sweat glistened on his forehead.**

 

**Only a few other students were there, so I must have gotten myself together relatively early.**

 

Baisotei: Handa-san, I do think that’s quite enough food. You’ve cooked enough to feed a herd of buffalo here.

 

Ando: Actually, they ain’t meat eaters, so they wouldn’t eat bacon.

 

Handa: Quiet, you dirty hick. You’re breaking my concentration.

 

Nosaka: I’m gonna fuckin’ drown in eggs here!

 

Baisotei: … How long were you up doing this, Handa-san?

 

Handa: That’s none of your business, is it?

 

**Handa turned around, glaring at us all with heavily bagged eyes. Yikes.**

 

Arakawa: But the food court is closed during night hours, isn’t it?

 

Handa: Of course it is. Everyone’s rooms are customized, aren’t they? There’s a fully stocked kitchen in mine.

 

Urogataya: Yeah, there was a vanity with lights in mine… the kind makeup artists use.

 

Baisotei: I was actually hoping to discuss that at the meeting today. That, and other things.

 

Nosaka: [Has already started scarfing down some eggs] meefng?

 

Baisotei: The one I mentioned last night. Don’t you remember?

 

Nosaka: [Unintelligible food noises]

 

Baisotei: I’ll take that as a yes.

 

**Slowly but surely, more people began to trickle into the food court. Most looked as though they hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep, although there were a few exceptions.**

 

Giselle: [bows her head] _Guten morgen, alle._ Today will be… good day, I think.

 

Rowena: Insinuate that anything about this situation is “good” and you may find yourself a fool at the hands of misfortune, foreigner.

 

Giselle: …Pardon.

 

**Eventually, everyone was there. Everyone except for one person, that is.**

 

Baisotei: Has anyone seen Murakami-san since last night?

 

Watanabe: No.

 

Dazai: Perhaps he was murdered already.

 

Torisei: D-don’t say that…

 

Nosaka: [Angered] Hey! Shut the fuck up!

 

Goto: This is a bad time for that kinda joke, don’t you think?

 

Dazai: [Under her breath] I wasn’t joking, Goto-me.

 

Crane: Maybe he overslept? He seemed kind of like a slacker-type.

 

Irie: I don’t think we should just wait for him. Judging by the type of person he has proven to be, he might take a while.

 

Baisotei: I don’t mean to put down any of our fellow students, but you may be right. I think it’s time we start.

  


**The atmosphere in the room quieted and chilled until everyone seemed to be taking this much more seriously. Handa stopped cooking, and was leaning on the table he had been working on. Nosaka had quit shoveling food into his mouth, at least for the moment.**

 

Baisotei: Now, I assume that everyone has read the rules contained on your ElectroIDs. If you haven’t, now’s your chance to. I want everyone to take theirs out and open up the rules section.

 

**In last night’s pandemonium, I had completely forgotten to look over the rules that Monokuma had assigned. I snuck a look at a few of my fellow students’ faces, trying to figure out which ones were in the same situation.**

 

**As I pressed the button, the display sprang to life. The first screen displayed a front-facing picture of me, giving the camera a confident smile. RUMI UROGATAYA, the top read. I didn’t remember taking the picture at all… which was especially weird, because I was dressed in some sort of brown blazer-white collared shirt outfit in it. The ID also listed my height, weight, likes and dislikes, and a few other items of interest. I ignored it for now, thumbing past the other students’ ID sections in order to get to the rules. They were all laid out in order, with an image of a tiny pixelated Monokuma separating each statement.**

 

 

  * ****Students must live together in the mall. There is no time limit on our stay.** **  
  
****


  * **Destruction of mall property is illegal. Vandals will be punished accordingly.** **  
  
**


  * **Students may investigate as much as they like in any areas available to them. Those who manage to get into restricted areas will be punished accordingly. Once an area becomes unrestricted, that rule is nullified for that area.** **  
  
**


  * **Nighttime is between 10 PM and 7 AM. The food court, along with several stores, will be closed during that time for restocking.** **  
  
**


  * **Violence against Monokuma or any of the monitoring systems is punishable by death.** **  
  
**


  * **Any and all food available in the food court is freshly cooked and clean, unless a fellow student decides to tamper with it.** **  
  
**


  * **Once a student dies, other students are allowed a one-hour period of investigation before the school trial to gather evidence and form arguments.** **  
  
**


  * **A “culprit” who successfully kills a fellow student and is not declared guilty in a school trial will be allowed to leave.** **  
  
**


  * **Letting a culprit graduate will result in the direct execution of the rest of the student body.** **  
  
**


  * **Murderers who are found guilty will be executed publicly.** **  
  
**


  * **Monokuma reserves the right to make new rules at any time.** **  
  
**



 

Tachibana: [Clasps her hands together] A lot of these seem easy enough, but, like… this is really bad! Do we really have to kill each other?

 

Watanabe: … Probably.

 

Arakawa: Handa-san, you clearly read the rules upon receiving them… why did you make all this food, in spite of rule number six?

 

Handa: Are you mad? I am not eating anything that… _thing_ provides for me. No one with any sense would trust it.

 

Arakawa: The part that concerns me the most is the last rule. This… this gives him free reign to do whatever he wants. It could be a dangerous thing to… cross him.

 

Ando: Ain’t that kinda dictator-y?

 

Baisotei: Precisely, which is why I believe that we should not consider Monokuma as a leader. He has no right to lead.

 

Urogataya: H-huh? What do you mean?

 

**I don’t think anyone considered him a leader…**

 

Baisotei: [Heroic pose] From now on, consider me your leader. Under me, no murder will occur. I’m going to protect you all from this menace… even criminal scum like you, Nosaka-san.

 

Nosaka: Hey lady, what did I do???

 

Rowena: You put yourself into a dangerous position, bovine one. In cases like this… large, leaderly types often doom themselves…

 

Giselle: Scary…

 

Dazai: Don’t you have anything better to do than spouting dooming prophecies?

 

Watanabe: You’re one to talk, Dazai.

 

Baisotei: Onto the next order of business, then. You may have noticed that your rooms are all seemingly tailored to fit your talent-based needs. For example, mine has a punching bag hanging from the ceiling.

 

Torisei: Y-yeah! Mine had a big atlas in it… I spent some time poring over it to see where in Japan we are, but I couldn’t find anything…

 

Nosaka: Aw, man… do ya mean my room coulda had piles of money in it? Thanks for nothin’, interior designers!

 

Baisotei: If anyone has anything in their rooms that could be useful to our survival here, I would like to request that you bring it over to me. I’ll set up a box near the fountain.

 

Baisotei: [Becomes serious] In addition, if anyone is in possession of anything that could be used to kill, please put it in the box as well. Weapons, sharp knives… I would prefer not to take any chances.

 

Handa: Now, wait a second… How am I supposed to do any cooking without knives?

 

Baisotei: I’m designating the food court as the knife zone. If you must use a knife or a confiscated item somewhere else… that’s why I’ve made this.

 

**Baisotei presented us with a clipboard. A sheet of paper was attached to it, listing things like “NAME”, “THING TAKEN”, “REASON”, and “CHECK IN/OUT TIMES”. The whole thing was very orderly. I had to wonder if Baisotei had gotten any sleep, what with all of this planning.**

 

Dazai: [Under her breath] If you murder someone do you get sent to the knife zone.

 

Tachibana: I think this is a wonderful idea, Baisotei-chan! I mean, if it helps everyone feel safe, I can’t see how this would be a bad thing.

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah, same here.

 

Goto: [Flashes a thumbs up] Yep!

 

Irie: I don’t like this. Someone who means to kill could just take the box and have a whole arsenal.

 

Baisotei: Today, I will be standing guard by the box, and people can come and deposit anything dangerous. I’ll then put the box in an undisclosed location.

 

Nosaka: Hey, wait just a second!

 

**Everyone turned to him, surprised by his interruption.**

 

Nosaka: There ain’t no other way to put this.

 

Nosaka: Lady, how do we know you ain’t just doing this so ya can get your hands on everyone else’s shit? Really, you could just be doin’ this so that ya can murder someone easily.

 

Baisotei: [Sternly] If I wanted to kill, I could do it quite easily with my bare hands. And I could also apprehend people quite well with them. Sit down, Nosaka-san.

 

**Everyone seemed rather taken aback by Baisotei’s forwardness. With a glare and a bucktoothed pout, Nosaka sat back down.**

 

Goto: Is that everything? I’m real hungry, dude.

 

Baisotei: That’s all. If anyone has more questions, they can come to me.

 

Ando: Well, then what’re we waiting for? Let’s-

  


**The door slammed open. I don’t know who everyone was expecting - Monokuma? Some sort of savior? - but the expressions on people’s faces changed instantaneously before they realized who was at the door.**

 

**As it turns out, it was just Murakami. He seemed to have taken his sweet time getting ready. He had an air of confidence about him, making it clear that he believed his lateness was of the fashionable variety. I noticed Arakawa glowering at him, and Handa looked like he was ready to strangle the lucky student. Baisotei looked oddly placid.**

 

**It had been… at least an hour since the wake-up call. I found myself wondering what kind of nerve he had.**

 

Baisotei: … And where have you been?

 

Watanabe: Yeah, nice of you to show up or whatever.

 

Murakami: [Raises hands in defeat] Hey, it wasn’t my fault! I overslept.

 

Giselle: The announcement… very loud. It hard to sleep through that, no?

 

Ando: [Rubs his eyes] I’ll say.

 

Murakami: [Slides in next to Nosaka] So, what’d I miss?

 

Arakawa: ……..

 

Tachibana: ……….

 

Torisei: Er…….

 

Crane: …….

 

Dazai: [Under breath] Unbelievable.

 

Handa: [Claps once] I believe that we should eat now. I don’t have all day to sit around and wait for it to get cold.

 

Crane: [Grins] Finally!

  


**Just like that, the tension in the room melted as everyone ate. For a few minutes, it was as if nothing was wrong. An outsider looking in at the moment would have seen just a bunch of students eating together.**

 

Irie: This… this is good. But you are a food critic, not a chef, right?

 

Handa: [Preening] Well, I should know what I’m talking about when I critique the dishes of others. This is what I have to compare it against.

 

Rowena: [Drinking coffee] Truly, food of the gods.

 

Torisei: Watanabe-kun, s-slow down! If you eat too fast, you m-might choke…

 

Watanabe: [With his mouth full] Great. I’ll be killing two birds with one stone.

 

Giselle: Akira, if you are tired, I take over next meal.

 

Handa: Giselle-san, I cannot imagine having a meal of entirely sweets.

 

Tachibana: I can!

 

Goto: I’m not a big sweets eater, but you do you, y’know?

 

Giselle: [Smiles] Can cook other things too. _Ich spezialisiere mich nur auf Süßigkeiten._

 

Handa: _Ich kenne._

 

Giselle: [Face brightens] You…!

 

Handa: ...We'll have to talk later.

 

**As the chatter continued around me, I noticed that Arakawa had parked herself right next to me. Despite myself, I felt proud that she had chosen to sit with me and not anyone else.**

 

Urogataya: Arakawa-san, what have you been up to?

 

Arakawa: … I slept.

 

Urogataya: Haha, that’s a coincidence! Me too!

 

Arakawa: Sure.

 

**Jesus, why did I keep saying things like that?**

 

Arakawa: Everyone seems to have forgotten about the mutual killing. I am going to ask you this, Urogataya-san, and be honest with me.

 

Urogataya: E-eh? What?

 

Arakawa: Would you ever try to kill someone if it meant you could escape?

 

**Eep! I definitely wasn’t expecting a question that serious…**

 

**Fortunately, answering it was easy.**

 

Urogataya: Wh-what? No! I could never- I mean, I’m not even that strong and I-

 

Arakawa: [Nods] that was all I wanted to know. Thank you.

 

**Huh, that was strange. I tried not to think much of it, though. I was just happy to have made a friend of sorts.**

  


**After breakfast, everyone dispersed out to various areas of the mall. I returned to my dorm and sat down on the bed.**

 

**… But I couldn’t lie around all day! I should probably do something productive, maybe get to know a few of my classmates a little better? I mean, if I’m going to be spending the foreseeable future with them, it would probably be a good idea.**

 

**So what should I do today?**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very few references or notes in this one, so I don't really feel the need to make a pastebin link for them.
> 
> \- "Ich spezialisiere mich nur auf Süßigkeiten" translates to "I just specialize in sweets", and "ich kenne" means "I know". 
> 
> Next chapter: Free time events and a motive reveal!


	5. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay on this one, I went on vacation and didn't have computer access. Hopefully this pretty long chapter (It's 12 pages in google docs) makes up for it!

**FREE TIME START!**

  


**As much as I’d like to go back to sleep, I should probably spend some time with my classmates. If I’m gonna be stuck in this place with them for a while, I might as well get to know them better. After all, it couldn’t hurt to make friends, right?**

 

**Technically, Arakawa is my friend, but she can be kind of aloof for some reason.**

 

**I exited my room, intending to wander aimlessly until I found someone to hang out with - and almost immediately accomplished that. Rowena appeared out of practically nowhere, and we crashed into each other.**

 

**… I really have to work on being less clumsy all the time.**

 

Rowena: [Dusts off her dress and points menacingly] Heed where you are going, girl. For you may already have collided with a wraith, and may now be cursed for all eternity!

 

**Should I spend some time with Rowena?**

 

 **Yes** / No

 

Rowena: Very well. I intend to scout the area for potential spiritual activity. You may shadow me, if your faint heart can handle it.

 

**I walked around the mall with Rowena for a while. Occasionally, something would catch her interest and she would take a few minutes to closely examine it, before grumbling and walking off. At one point, we encountered Ando, who quickly made an excuse and wandered off when she started to interrogate him about the Cow Head legend.**

 

**We were doing this together, but sometimes I felt like Rowena forgot that I was even there. She got really absorbed in… whatever it was she was doing.**

 

**Even so, I feel like we became closer… maybe?**

 

Urogataya: Hey, you like horror movies, right?

 

Rowena: No.

 

Urogataya: E-eh? But I thought you were-

 

Rowena: I live and breathe horror. I love horror. I am a horror aficionado. Horror is my life. Does that answer your question, fragrant one?

 

Urogataya: I guess… I’ve never been a really big horror movie fan, though. I watched that one movie where the guy was the ghost all along once and was, like, really tense the whole time. I’m kind of a weenie.

 

Rowena: [Nods] The director's first and last great work. Pity how his arrogance hexed his working ability… Now, every picture he produces is cursed in some amount.

 

Urogataya: Uh, how can you tell?

 

Rowena: You are not yet ready for that information. In time, perhaps.

 

Urogataya: Alright… Do you have a favorite genre?  


Rowena: [Scoffs] Do not be a fool. Though all types are formidable, I do have a preferred one. My tastes lie in the realm of such films as _Suspiria_ and _Black Sunday_ , although none other in the genre has been able to come close to those two.

 

Urogataya: Ah… right! Those are…

  


**I feel like I’ve read about this somewhere. Those movies can be categorized as…**

 

Slasher / **Occult** / Torture Porn

  


Urogataya: Occult films, right? About witches and stuff?

 

Rowena: Your knowledge of the craft of horror is more formidable than I expected, fragrant one. I may have to take you under my wing as my apprentice.

 

Urogataya: N-no thanks, I think I’m good.

 

Rowena: On the contrary, however… my least favorite type has to be extreme horror. [Lip quivers] God help the bastards who have sat through _Nekromantik_.

 

Urogataya: Why do you say that?

 

Rowena: [Points menacingly] Extreme horror films have no particular mystique to them. The sense of shock and disgust comes from things that could really happen. Truly, they are terrifying, but their artfulness comes more from brutality than anything. [Huffs] I am not yet convinced that makers of extreme horror films are not simply people looking for an excuse to fulfill their violent urges.

 

Urogataya: Wow. I don’t know that much about horror movies, but I guess that makes sense.

 

Rowena: [Nods] Indeed. ‘Tis a truly nuanced craft.

 

**Though I’m still not sure about why she acts so dramatic, I was surprised to learn that Rowena’s talent involves real knowledge and not just putting on spooky airs. I guess I still have a lot to learn about… whatever it is she does.**

 

**I think I understand Rowena a little better now.**

  


**She wandered off to investigate more… I still wasn’t sure what she was looking for, and I wasn’t about to ask. Feeling slightly less intimidated, I returned to my dorm. As long as our hangout session felt, a quick glance at the clock proved otherwise. It was actually only an hour or so before noon, so I still had ample time to kill.**

 

**Though I wasn’t feeling particularly hungry, I walked towards the food court. It seemed like everyone was elsewhere at first, but then I heard a loud clanging noise. Further investigating revealed that the source of the noise was Baisotei, who had dropped a bunch of sharp knives into the box she had been talking about at breakfast.**

 

Baisotei: [Smiles] Hello, Urogataya-san. If you don’t mind, can you help me out with this? There are a lot of booths, so that means… [face falls] a lot more knives…

 

Urogataya: Uh, sure! I think you might need a bigger box, though. And why do you want me to help you? Wouldn’t that make me more likely a suspect in a murder?

 

Baisotei: …. There’s no way I can store all of these by tonight alone, I hope you understand.

 

**It was kind of a strange request, but alright. Should I spend time with Baisotei?**

 

 **Yes** / No

 

Baisotei: Great! Time to get to work, then.

 

**I spent some time helping Baisotei load anything that looked dangerous in the food court into her box. To make the time go by faster, she told me stories about some of her more interesting bodyguarding jobs. While they were really interesting, a lot of them were kind of scary. Baisotei must be really experienced with what she does if she can talk about things like attacks on important people so lightly.**

 

**Nevertheless, I think we became closer.**

 

Baisotei: …Needless to say, the hooligan ended up in jail after that encounter. [Chuckles] Imagine being so jealous of a celebrity that you try to attack them! Fortunately, they had the foresight to hire me.

 

Urogataya: Baisotei-chan, you’re so, like… tough and stuff. How long have you been doing this bodyguarding shtick?

 

Baisotei: [Proudly] For a long while, I’ll have you know.

 

**I realized at that moment that I had barely heard anyone talk about things that weren’t related to their talent, and Baisotei was no exception. I decided to probe her about other things.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, Baisotei-chan. Are you into… anything aside from your talent?

 

**Ouch, that came out ruder than I expected. She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t seem to feel like calling me out on it.**

 

Baisotei: Sure I am. I may not always have a lot of time for other things, what with work and school, but that does not mean that I am not interested in them.

 

Urogataya: What’re those other things?

 

Baisotei: Well… can I ask you something?

 

Urogataya: E-eh?

 

Baisotei: Can you please not laugh when I tell you?

 

**...Huh?**

 

Urogataya: I don’t know why I’d laugh. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.

 

Baisotei: Well… You see… I like to knit.

 

Urogataya: ….

 

Baisotei: ….

 

Urogataya: W-wait, that’s it? I thought you were gonna say something like… reading porno mags, or watching soap operas.

 

Baisotei: BWAHAHA! I’m no pervert, rest assured.

 

Baisotei: I’m just hesitant to tell people about it because it’s a very girly hobby. People are intimidated by me, and for good reason. If I were to… tell them about it, people might take me less seriously. [Clenches fist] I can’t have that.

 

Urogataya: … Well, I don’t think people would take you less seriously. I mean, you could probably crush someone’s skull with your thighs.

 

Baisotei: What do you mean “probably”?

 

Urogataya: I…

 

Baisotei: [Laughs heartily] I only kid. [Pensive look] Hm, what else do I like…? Oh, I suppose…

 

Baisotei: I do a lot of reading about true crime, and the like.

 

Urogataya: True crime…?

 

Baisotei: W-well, a very specific genre of crime. When people talk about true crime on the internet, they’re usually referring to this. [Tilts head] You seem like an internet dweller-type, maybe you’d be familiar with it?

 

**That’s right… when most people talk about true crime online, they’re referring to records of…**

 

 **Murder** / Embezzlement / Theft

 

Urogataya: … Murder, right? I haven’t been too deep into the internet, but the few true crime blogs I’ve seen were about that.

 

Baisotei: [Nods] Exactly. It’s partially out of my own morbid curiosity, and partially so that I can get an idea of a kind of person who might attack someone I’m guarding.

 

**Suddenly, I realized something.**

 

Urogataya: That magazine you were reading on the first day… Had you read about that guy before coming here? The one on the cover, I mean.

 

Baisotei: [Scowls] Though he… looked familiar, I can’t say I recognized him. All of these criminals are cut from the same cloth. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a thousand other crooks that looked just like him.

 

**W-wow, that conversation suddenly turned very intense… and it got spun back to Baisotei’s talent, too. If I want to find out more about her as a person, I might have to talk to her again some other time.**

 

**Still, I think I understand Baisotei a little better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  


**I continued helping her put the knives into her box, until she reassured me that she could take it from there. After receiving a firm pat on the back from her (that felt more like a chiropractor cracking my spine than a reassuring pat), I started to head back to my room again.**

 

**On the way back, however, I noticed Arakawa sitting alone in the coffee shop. She had several books and magazines spread out on a table in front of her, although she appeared to be busying herself by playing with a ring on her finger rather than reading. I hesitantly walked in and took a seat.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, what’re you doing?

 

Arakawa: I thought that… maybe I would find something that might better explain our situation. For example, a mall guide, or any books on areas of Japan near here. [Shakes her head] No such luck.

 

Urogataya: You said somethin’ about malls like this being common in… Las Vegas, was it? Maybe we’re there.

 

Arakawa: [Flatly] Now’s not the time to be making jokes, Urogataya-san.

 

Urogataya: Erm, well… sometimes you find what you’re looking for when you least expect it. That’s what my aunt says, anyway.

 

Arakawa: Your aunt?

 

Urogataya: Yeah! She actually went to Hope’s Peak a long while ago, you know. In the… 63rd class, I think?

 

Arakawa: [Raises her eyebrows] Interesting. And what was her talent?

 

Urogataya: I dunno… She was a hairstylist, though. My family’s company, they… _we_ make a lot of cosmetics and beauty products, and that includes hair stuff.

 

**I hadn’t thought about her in a while, and I wondered what she was up to now. Did she know about what was happening to my class? Did my parents know?**

 

Arakawa: I would assume so.

 

**It seemed as though she was beginning to realize something, but I noticed a nearly imperceptible change in her expression that told me that she wasn’t planning on sharing whatever it was.**

 

**At once, the intercom system crackled to life. The voice of Monokuma, which I had been on the blissful edge of forgetting, emerged from it like an unwelcome guest entering a party. Arakawa flinched noticeably.**

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem… attention, students! It would appear that no one has committed a murder yet! I know it’s only been a day, but come on, you can do better than that! This is really bumming me out… so, I’ve prepared a special something for you all! A motive, if you will. Please report to the fountain area immediately!

 

Arakawa: Do we have t-

 

Monokuma: Attendance is not mandatory, but do you really want to risk not knowing something that could lead to your own death? What a despairing thought! I’ll see some of you there, upupupu…

 

**With that, the intercom shut off, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its place. Arakawa and I stared at each other, not entirely sure what to do.**

 

Urogataya: I g-guess we should go, shouldn’t we?

 

Arakawa: [Nods] As much as I hate to listen to anything that... _thing_ says, it could put us at a disadvantage if we don’t. Come on.

 

**Arakawa and I left the coffee shop, leaving behind the book-laden table. Neither of us said a word while we walked. Though I didn’t want to admit it, whatever Monokuma had in store had me nervous. There was no way that it was going to be good.**

 

**By the time we arrived, most of our classmates had gathered around the fountain. Many wore worried expressions, and a few looked up when they saw us coming.**

 

Handa: Oi. You’re late.

 

Urogataya: Uh… no, we’re not. Monokuma hasn’t even shown up yet.

 

Torisei: F-fifteen of us are here now, though… has anyone seen Dazai-san?

 

**Sure enough, the dollmaker was nowhere to be found. Normally, she might have been lurking in the back of the crowd, but her minimal presence was not even there.**

 

Rowena: It would appear… as though her soul is no longer with us.

 

Crane: Hey, don’t say things like that! Besides, wouldn’t we have had a class trial or somethin’ if she were dead?

 

Nosaka: Maybe she’s just sayin’ that she ain’t got a soul to begin with!

 

Irie: [Huffs]

 

Baisotei: Pipe down, everyone. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for this.

 

Tachibana: [Raises hand] Ooh, I know! I went to go question Dazai-chan about her dolls - you know, they have such cute and interesting aesthetics, and I was hoping I could take inspiration from them for future weddings~! You know, her Edwardian-style dolls are-

 

Watanabe: Hey, get on with it.

 

Tachibana: Oh! Well, it would seem that she’s locked herself in her dorm since breakfast.

 

Arakawa: [Muttering] Really, you could have just said that to begin with…

 

Ando: Oh look, here he comes now.

 

**With that, Monokuma jumped up on the fountain’s statue again. He hadn’t changed in appearance, but there was a new sense of verve and energy about him.**

 

Monokuma: Hello, friends! Glad you all could make it… though it seems like not everyone could. Dazai-chan seems to have disobeyed direct orders! [Shrugs] Well, I did say that attendance wasn’t required, didn’t I?

 

Goto: Yeah, you did.

 

Torisei: W-what do you want with us? I thought we were… doing just fine…

 

Giselle: _Ich sehne mich danach._ I second that, yes!

 

Monokuma: Oh, Torisei-kun, Giselle-chan. You’re all so naive! Yes, you’re doing just fine, but that’s exactly the problem! If you’re all doing fine and dandy, you won’t kill each other, and we can’t have that!

 

Monokuma: Which is exactly why… I’ve prepared an incentive for you, upupu! From now on, you are all my bitches!

 

Nosaka: Whaddya mean? Does whoever kills first get a shit ton a money or somethin’?

 

Handa: [Scoffs] Predictable.

 

Monokuma: BZZT! That is incorrect! Instead, I’m offering you something much more useful! I’m offering… information!

 

Arakawa: … Go on with it, then.

 

Monokuma: Well, since you’ve arrived here, have you recently experienced a certain sense of emptiness? Like something’s been taken from you, but you can’t figure out what it is?

 

**Now that he mentioned it, I had felt something like that. It had been in the back of my mind, but… something felt off about this whole situation, and it wasn’t just the killing thing. For a second, I tried to figure out what it was, before realizing that Monokuma was probably just about to tell us. Darn, why do I keep doing things like this?**

 

Monokuma: Riddle me this! When did you enter Hope’s Peak?

 

Irie: We didn’t. We all passed out in front of the building at varying times.

 

Murakami: Is this a trick question?

 

Torisei: Maybe he means that we entered when we got our acceptance letters…

 

Monokuma: Wrong, wrong, wrong-o! Upupupupu, you guys have nooooo idea, do you?

 

Monokuma: The truth of the matter is- drumroll, please!

 

**Goto began slapping his legs with his hands in a rhythm, but quickly stopped when he found Irie, Handa, and Baisotei giving him death glares. He sheepishly shrugged at the rest of us.**

 

Monokuma: You’ve all already completed part of your Hope’s Peak education! Nearly two whole years of it! And you don’t remember, because those memories have been taken away from you~!

 

Handa: ………

 

Crane: ………

 

Tachibana: ……….

 

Watanabe: ………...

 

Urogataya: G-gwuh?

 

**I found myself involuntarily reacting to the news, shock slowly setting into my body. There was one long, terrifying moment of silence as everyone processed the news.**

 

**Then, as it always does, chaos erupted.**

 

Rowena: It can’t be…!!

 

Tachibana: W-w-what?!?!

 

Baisotei: No, he’s obviously lying! There’s no way that could happen! Does anyone remember anything about school?

 

Nosaka: No, dumbass, ‘cause we fuckin’ CAN’T!

 

Ando: H-hey, you ain’t got proof!

 

Monokuma: Oh, Ando-kun, do you doubt me? Feast your eyes on this!

 

**With that, Monokuma started throwing photographs into the air. Some students scrambled to catch them, while others stood there frozen. I managed to snatch one before it hit the ground, and the sight that greeted me knocked the wind out of me.**

 

**There everyone was, standing in two rows like in a school photo. Everyone was dressed in a brown-and-white school uniform that I recognized from my ElectroID photo, though most had been customized or altered in some way. We were all standing on what appeared to be some kind of path in front of a building. The most striking difference here, though… was that everyone looked happy. Murakami was flashing a peace sign, Ando was wearing a cheesy grin, Giselle’s head was tilted back in a full-on giggle fit… even the now-absent Dazai had a small smile on her face.**

 

**Though the image should have been comforting, it filled me with dread and paranoia. What had happened in the time between when I arrived at Hope’s Peak and when I woke up at the mall?**

 

Arakawa: Is it scientifically possible to have your memories removed?

 

Monokuma: I dunno! What do I look like, the Super High School Level Neurologist? …Though I probably could look like one, if I had a bedhead and started reading manga!

 

Watanabe: What the everloving fuck are you talking about?

 

Murakami: N-no… this can’t be right. You’re lying, aren’t you! These pictures are doctored, right?

 

Monokuma: Would I ever lie to you, Murakami-kun?

 

Irie: …What’s the point of all this? Wouldn’t it benefit you for us to not know?

 

Monokuma: Well, I was considering revealing this to you at… I dunno, maybe the sixth trial, but that’s sooo contrived! So I’ll spell it out for ya!

 

Monokuma: Something hooooorrible happened during your school year! But I won’t reveal what that is, not yet. If you kill someone and make it out alive, you can find out just what! And the fates of your loved ones and friends… they’ll be revealed to you at no additional charge!

 

Rowena: You… you...

 

Crane: [Weakly] This… this is messed up.

 

Giselle: [Shakes her head] _Wie gemein…_

 

Monokuma: Anyway, if I stick around, you’ll just try to negotiate with me. And who wants that? That’s boring! Ta-ta~~~

 

**With that, he jumped back behind the fountain and vanished. Glancing around at everyone, it was clear that no one was taking the news well. The reactions ranged from Tachibana, who was on the verge of tears, to Watanabe, who looked as though he’d been mildly inconvenienced.**

 

Giselle: This is- is impossible, no?

 

Baisotei: Of course it is, and that’s why it’s clear he’s lying to us.

 

Irie: [Lip curls] Denial, that’s cute.

 

Murakami: What now, _glorious leader_?

 

Baisotei: I… I don’t know. I think the best approach is to let everyone mill over this for a time. We’ll meet again at dinnertime and come up with something then. You’re all dismissed.

 

**Baisotei ran off faster than I would have expected someone of her girth to be able to. Handa muttered something about lunch and headed off to the food court, Crane and Ando trailing meekly behind him. I didn’t see where anyone else went. I wanted nothing more than to lay down on my bed and not think about anything. And that’s what I did.**

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: Hey, when you were a kid… what did you want to be when you grew up?

 

Monokuma: I’ll bet it was something outrageous, like a princess or a cowboy.

 

Monokuma: Well, what if we lived in a world where everyone had to be what they wanted to be as a kid?

 

Monokuma: It might not seem so bad at first, right? You could finally live out your dreams!

 

Monokuma: But imagine all the political wars that would break out with so many princesses, and the damage to the beef industry all those cowboys would do. We’d have so many firemen, but who would be starting that many fires to warrant that many firemen?

 

Monokuma: And there would be so many necessary jobs that no one would do! Do you think anyone ever wanted to be an accountant when they were a kid?

 

Monokuma: Well, probably. The most boring person in the world probably did!

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**I slowly opened my eyes, clutching gently at my sheets. The clock on my dresser read 3:50 PM. Somehow, I had fallen asleep. I supposed that it was better than having an existential crisis over Monokuma’s motive, though, which I suspected was what some of my classmates had been doing.**

 

**Speaking of classmates, I should try to hang out with some of them… right?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops.
> 
> All the movies that Rowena references are real movies. Don't watch Nekromantik
> 
> Next up: even more free time events!


	6. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah, sorry about the irregularity of these updates lately. I got swept up in a killing game rp.  
> This chapter: More free time and some banter!  
> Also, if you read this, I would appreciate if you took this poll so that I know what you think: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM08yByYLkuBP_tRSBk64pNgjwZYMJ3ERKp2dCm70o6mfAPw/viewform

**FREE TIME START!**

  


**I had planned on checking out the clothing store, since it hadn’t been a place that I had spent a lot of time in yet. However, as they so often did, my plans got interrupted. This time, the interruption’s name was Minami Tachibana, and she barreled at me at full force.**

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chaaaan! Urogataya-chaaaan!

 

Urogataya: What is it, Tachibana-san?

 

Tachibana: Oh, I’m glad I ran into you! I was trying to find Baisotei-chan, but you’ll be fine.

 

Tachibana: You see… I need, like, a favor! I know we’ve only known each other for a day, but this is reeeaaallly important, y’know?

 

Urogataya: Eh? I mean… sure, why not.

 

Tachibana: [Clasps her hands together] Okeydokey! You’re a real people person, so here’s what I want you to do. Can you… try to check on Dazai-chan?

 

Tachibana: I still really want to talk to her about her dolls, but she still hasn’t come out of her room! And if anyone can do it, I think you can.

 

Urogataya: Didn’t you say you were looking for Baiso-

 

Tachibana: Irrelevant~! Now, go!

 

**With that, I found myself sent back in the direction of the dorms. Maybe I should try not to be such a pushover when it comes to doing things for other people - but the time for me to start doing that was clearly not now. Eventually, I reached Dazai’s room. Even the badly drawn portrait on the door seemed to leer at me, and the area gave off a cold, harsh atmosphere.**

 

**I gave the door a quick, hesitant knock and waited for an answer. And a few minutes later, as I was going to mark Dazai as a lost cause and leave, the woman herself opened the door. All I could see of her was a sliver of her face and one of her heavily bagged eyes.**

 

Dazai: What do you want.

 

Urogataya: What, can’t we talk? Everyone’s worried about you. You gotta get outside.

 

Dazai: No. [Begins to close the door]

 

Urogataya: W-wait! Can’t we just, y’know, hang out or something? I won’t make you go outside if you hang out with me.

 

Dazai: ...Do I have to?

 

 **Yes** / No

 

Dazai: Ergh, fine. I guess you can come in, or something.

 

**I hung out in Dazai’s room for a while. It looked mostly like my room, except instead of a makeup vanity, it had a desk loaded with tiny ball-jointed mannequins and a large box full of supplies. An intricate dollhouse stood in another corner of the room, looking comically misplaced in the doom and gloom of Dazai’s dorm. A bunch of potato chip bags, presumably from the drugstore, were littered near the trash can.**

 

**I sat awkwardly on Dazai’s bed as she sat at her desk, painting a ceramic head with intense concentration. Neither of us said anything for a while. The awkward tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife - though Baisotei had hidden every knife in the place, so you probably couldn’t after all.**

 

**I… don’t know if we became any closer.**

 

Urogataya: Is this what you do when your friends come over? Doesn’t seem like a very fun time.

 

Dazai: I don’t have any friends.

 

Urogataya: Wh-what?? Really? How could a person have no friends?

 

**To be honest, I wasn’t as surprised as I probably seemed. Dazai might have caught onto it, because she narrowed her eyes at me, but she did nothing to indicate that she had.**

 

Dazai: I don’t go out very often. When I do, it’s usually to go to cons or to go shopping. Not to make friends.

 

Urogataya: Well, how about school?

 

Dazai: I haven’t been to school in two years. It’s a hassle. I take classes online.

 

Dazai: And before you say anything about my parents… they’re not really around. One of my relatives takes care of me.

 

Urogataya: Oh… wait, you said something about cons, didn’t you? Like anime cons?

 

Dazai: Don’t be stupid. Do I look like an anime fan?

 

Urogataya: …Maybe?

 

Dazai: [Scoffs] I don’t go to anime cons. I’ve been commissioned to make anime figures, but they were not my best work. I didn’t spend much time on them.

 

Urogataya: So, if you don’t go to anime cons, then you must go to…

 

**The answer to this one should be fairly obvious, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means I’ll probably be able to further the conversation and keep Dazai from clamping up again. So, it’s…**

 

Comic book conventions / Toy conventions / **Doll conventions**

 

Urogataya: Doll conventions?

 

Dazai: [Flatly] Wow. It took you a while to deduce that.

 

Dazai: Normally, I sell my dolls in the artist’s alleys and stuff. I make a lot of money doing it. Doll people are pretty weird, but at least they can recognize quality craftsmanship.

 

Urogataya: Wouldn’t you have any frequent buyers you’re friends with, or other dollmakers? It seems weird that you interact with that many people and yet you say you don’t have friends…

 

Dazai: Other dollmakers are my rivals. I don’t want to get to know them. They’re mostly freaks, anyway.

 

Urogataya: Oh…

 

Urogataya: Well, if it means anything… you can consider me your friend.

 

Dazai: Great. Okay. Thanks.

 

**I tried my best, but Dazai is unusually closed off from everyone else. I’m not sure how she’ll fare being stuck with the rest of us in here, but for her sake, I’m a little worried about her.**

 

**Even so, I think I understand her a little better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  


**It was getting close to dinnertime, so I managed to convince Dazai to come to the food court with me. Despite her protests, she admitted that she was a little hungry, and I dragged her along. The rest of our classmates were already there, chowing down on one thing or another.**

 

**Some people - namely Ando, Goto, and Giselle - appeared surprised when Dazai entered, but she shot them a look that told them to shut up. Tachibana almost immediately came up to her and bombarded her with questions. As she dragged Dazai away, the latter gave me a hateful glance, to which I shrugged in response.**

 

**Quickly, I managed to swipe a hamburger from a fast food booth, probably much to Handa’s chagrin. I positioned myself at a table with Arakawa, who was picking at a salad, and Watanabe, who was attacking a massive chicken leg with more gusto than I would have expected from such an apathetic person.**

 

Arakawa: Watanabe-san, is there something on your mind?

 

Watanabe: It’s really cramped in here, not to mention the fact that there’s no gym or anything. I need to climb or do _something_ before I go completely nuts.

 

Urogataya: Yeah, I don’t think you could climb anything down here. You’re so tall, unless you decided to start scaling the walls-

 

Watanabe: Who do you think I am, Spiderman? I can’t climb flat surfaces unless they’re textured, and the walls here are too smooth for that.

 

Urogataya: O-oh, I think I get it now.

 

Arakawa: [Nods]

 

**Watanabe and Arakawa were pretty quiet people, so I couldn’t help but overhear some other groups’ conversations as I ate.**

 

\---

 

Rowena: F-fools, I will not rest until I have found it. One of you heathens has taken my amulet from me.

 

Irie: Why are you pinning the blame on one of us? Perhaps you just lost it.

 

Rowena: I could never lose it, for it is bound to me! It can only be forcibly taken by the viciously impure. Yea verily, for my amulet contains the souls of the damned.

 

Irie: Sure, it does.

 

Nosaka: You ladies lookin’ for this? [Holds up the necklace]

 

Rowena: Wh-why, you heathen! How did you come across that?

 

Nosaka: I’m a hustler, a’course I know how ta do some simple pickpocketing. You some kinda idiot or somethin’?

 

Irie: ...Or something.

 

Murakami: You’d better give it back, Nosaka-kun. She might hex you, and then you’ll start growing hair on your toes!

 

Nosaka: Ewww, gross!

 

Rowena: Well. Now that you have taken ownership of the amulet, the souls within will drag you down to Hell when you die. I hope you are prepared.

 

Nosaka: Wait, wha’?

 

\---

 

Giselle: So, Akira. _Woher kennen Sie Deutsch?_

 

Handa: [Smirks] _Ich weiß ein kleines bisschen. Vor ein paar Jahren machte ich eine kulinarische Reise durch das Land._

 

Giselle: Ah! _Genießen Sie europäische Küche?_

 

Handa: _Obwohl einige Länder bessere Nahrung als andere haben, hat Ihr Kontinent eine faszinierende Reihe von Küche. Ich bin besonders gern italienisches Essen._

 

Goto: Um… bratwurst? I dunno what you dudes are even saying anymore.

 

Handa: [Scoffs] _Trottel._

 

Giselle: [Giggles]

 

\---

 

Torisei: ...And that was, uh, only my first experience with those kinds of tribal rites! I escaped b-by the skin of my teeth.

 

Ando: All that just t’ make a map?

 

Torisei: I don’t think it’s j-just a map, Ando-san. It’s my life’s w-work.

 

Crane: What other places have you mapped out? I could think of a few I’d like to go to.

 

Torisei: O-oh! Mainly pretty obscure islands, and stuff. Most major places have already been mapped, so that leaves me with only a few areas left. B-but I’d like to map out Novoselic someday.

 

Baisotei: Novoselic?

 

Torisei: Y-yeah, it’s a tiny kingdom near Austria. I’d love to go there. It has a very… strange culture.

 

Ando: I ain’t ever been outta Japan before. Hell, I’d never even been on an airplane before comin’ to Hope’s Peak.

 

Baisotei: Really? Why not?

 

Ando: You can’t take cows on an airplane. Or any other farmin’ animals, for that matter.

 

Crane: Do I wanna know how you found that out?

 

Torisei: I th-think it’s more common sense than anything, guys!

 

\---

 

**Somehow, seeing everyone getting along gave me a real warm and fuzzy feeling, in spite of the situation we were in. To think that such different people in such a terrible scenario could be friends… it filled me with hope.**

 

**...Man, that sounds cheesy.**

 

**Suddenly, Tachibana stood up on a table.**

 

Tachibana: Hey, can everyone listen up please? I have an announcement!

 

Handa: Get off of there! Keep your disgusting shoes off the table, you wretch.

 

Tachibana: Handa-kun, I have to look important for this so that everyone will listen to me!

 

**Everyone craned their heads to look at her, with varying degrees of interest.**

 

Tachibana: Well, today I, like, had the pleasure of talking to Crane-kun, and we came up with an idea! We thought everyone might get bored, so we’re planning an event to bring the gang together, y’know?

 

Crane: [Nods, grinning]

 

Tachibana: So… we’re having a talent show tomorrow evening~!

 

**Huh?**

 

Dazai: A what.

 

Goto: [Smiles] Sounds like fun! I’m stoked for this, dude.

 

Murakami: Hey pinky, not all of us have performance-based talents. Did ya think of that?

 

Tachibana: Actually, I did. You don’t have to do something relating to your Super High School Level talent, it can be anything! Singing, dancing, comedy, magic tricks…

 

Nosaka: [Snorts] What kinda fuckin’ shit nerd would do magic tricks?

 

Torisei: H-hey, that’s mean…

 

Arakawa: What do you think, Baisotei-san? Since you’re the de facto leader, I think it should be your call.

 

Baisotei: Personally, I think it’s a very good idea. It’ll be a good bonding experience, and it’ll be easy to keep track of everyone when you’re all in one place.

 

Tachibana: [Grins] Alright! So tomorrow, then.

 

Watanabe: Sure, whatever.

 

**A talent show, huh? I suppose that it could be a good idea. A little silly, sure, but anything is better than what we’re doing right now. Which, I guess, is wallowing in self pity and paranoia. That’s never a fun thing to do.**

  


**After dinner, we all parted ways. I decided to spend some time in the coffee shop, looking at the books Arakawa had left there the previous night. They were still scattered on the table when I came in. She had a few articles about hostage situations from the past few years open, but none made any mention of Hope’s Peak.**

 

**So it was clear, then. The only way to get out of here and find out what had happened to us… was to kill a fellow student. A chill ran up and down my spine. I would never stoop to that, though… right?**

 

**I spent a few hours poring over most of the magazines in the place, looking for any clues to our situation, but I came up empty. My concentration was broken, however, when-**

 

[Crackle]

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Attention students!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 10 pm. “Night time” begins now.

 

Monokuma: Gooooood night! Don’t let the murderers bite!

 

**It’s that late already, huh? I should probably head off to bed.**

  


**On my way back to my dorm, I couldn’t help but notice something strange. In one of the side hallways, barely visible under the dim blue light of the ceiling, stood Arakawa and Baisotei. I hadn’t seen them talking much before, but they seemed to be deep in conversation. I couldn’t make out anything they were saying, but it seemed that their conversation was immensely serious.**

 

**I wasn’t the only one trying to eavesdrop on their conversation, however. Goto and Murakami were also lingering about the area, trying to act casual. Goto had a nervous look on his face, while Murakami seemed merely intrigued. At that moment, Arakawa happened to look over Baisotei’s shoulder at the motley crew that we were. Her stare towards us could have melted steel. I almost immediately ran off to my room. I didn’t want to stick around and face her or Baisotei’s judgement.**

 

**I laid on my bed, weary from a long day of hanging out with people, and fell into a light slumber.**

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: You know, I have considered using this space for advertising.

 

Monokuma: All the big name media nowadays makes loads of money from advertising and product placement!

 

Monokuma: But minding 16 troublemakers doesn’t exactly leave me much time to make advertising contracts.

 

Monokuma: So now you know that I’m not doing this for money, it’s simply a passion project of mine. Upupu!

 

Monokuma: Nevertheless, Dangan Ronpa: Dead on Arrival is brought to you by the letter G and the number 11037.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the first murder! Who's ready? I know I'm not  
> here's a translation of the conversation that Handa and Giselle have: http://pastebin.com/0nV0V4xA


	7. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to give a special shoutout to my proofreader, dear friend, and general person who I bounce ideas off of - Marti! They don't have an ao3, but you can find them on DeviantArt at @dreamymartini.

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I stay students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. Goooood morning, everyone!

 

Monokuma: Well, what’re you waiting for?! You’re not gettin’ any younger, and neither am I!

  


**Was it really morning already…? It felt like I had only just gone to bed a second ago. I struggled to rouse myself from my drowsy stupor, swinging my legs over so that I was sitting on my bed. The talent show was this evening, right?**

 

**I considered for a second whether or not I should sign up to perform, but I couldn’t think of anything that I could do. I’m not a very good singer or dancer, after all, and there’s nothing relating to my talent that would make for an interesting performance. I guess I would just have to be a spectator for the time being.**

 

**After throwing my clothes on and doing up my hair, I made my way to the food court. I stood at the entryway, about to go in, when I heard some weird scraping noises.**

 

Urogataya: H-huh?

 

**Cautiously, I peeked into the area. I was relieved to see that there was no foul play going on, just Watanabe and Crane moving some tables. Tachibana directed them carefully.**

 

Tachibana: Um, a little to the left! Good! Now to the side a little… perfect! Just move it to the right a little and then you’ll be done!

 

Watanabe: We literally just moved it back to where it was originally.

 

Tachibana: Ah-- oops, haha!

 

Crane: Hey, why don’t we put it over there?

 

Urogataya: What’re you all doing?

 

Tachibana: Good morning, Urogataya-chan! We’re making a stage for the show tonight.

 

Urogataya: A stage?

 

Crane: There’s no auditorium or anything of the sort in here, so we’ve had to improvise. We’re pushing a bunch of tables together, and people can stand on those.

 

Crane: …It’s not exactly the most stable, but it’s better than nothing.

 

Watanabe: [Grunts]

 

Urogataya: So you’re getting performers together, Tachibana-san?

 

Tachibana: Yeppers! Goto-kun’s playing a song, Rowena-chan’s telling some kinda scary story, Crane-kun’s doing a demo of his capo- his capers-

 

Crane: Capoeira.

 

Tachibana: Yeah, that! I even convinced Arakawa-chan and Watanabe-kun to do something.

 

Urogataya: R-really? What are you doing, Watanabe-kun?

 

Watanabe: How much do you weigh.

 

Urogataya: Eh?!? That’s a personal question! What does that have to do with anything?

 

Watanabe: [Grunts] I was going see how many people I could bench press.

 

Urogataya: Oh…

 

Tachibana: [Clasps her hands together] After breakfast, everyone’s gonna start practicing~! So I’d recommend staying out of the food court after you eat if you’re performing, ‘kay?

 

Urogataya: Okay! I’ll see you all later.

  


**I hastily made my way to the other side of the food court, where everyone else was chowing down. Baisotei and Handa appeared to be in a heated argument.**

 

Baisotei: I won’t be angry at you, Handa-san. What did you do with the knife you checked out?

 

Handa: Is it any of your business, woman?! I don’t think so.

 

Baisotei: Handa-san… you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.

 

**Trying not to get into the middle of things, I slid into a seat next to the closest person. That person happened to be Rowena.**

 

Urogataya: [Whispering] Hey, what’s going on?

 

Rowena: You should not tamper with conflicts you are not a part of, fragrant one. Nevertheless, I shall tell you. Listen well!

 

Urogataya: Um, okay?

 

Rowena: The butcher had borrowed a dagger, which he signed out from Baisotei-san’s repository. However, he did not leave a reason as to why, and he has not yet returned it to its rightful place.

 

Urogataya: …Huh.

 

**That’s very strange. I wonder why he would do that? He’s not planning to murder anyone, is he?**

 

Baisotei: I don’t see why it’s such an issue that I want to know why you checked it out. I’m the leader, I have a right to know, don’t I?

 

Handa: [Scoffs] Leader?! Your status of “leader” is entirely self-imposed. You have just as much authority over the group as the rest of us do.

 

Nosaka: [Whistles]

 

Ando: Really, I don’t see why you don’t just tell her…

 

Handa: [Furious] I didn’t ask for your opinion, you filthy hillbilly! It’s in my room, you can look if you don’t believe me!

 

Giselle: Akira, that’s-

 

Arakawa: You’re acting like a child. Stop it.

 

Handa: Shut up! I hope you all get food poisoning, because I’m not cooking for any of you anymore! I quit!

 

**With that, he stormed out of the food court. No one looked particularly sad to see him gone, but my stomach rumbled in spite of myself. I got up and grabbed a couple of things from the food kiosks before sitting myself back down. Rowena gazed warily at my meal, but didn’t say anything.**

 

Irie: It’s only day three, and he’s already cracked. He’s so weak-willed.

 

Ando: It makes me wonder… if he’s gone off the wall after only a few days, what’s gonna happen to the rest of us?

 

Goto: I don’t wanna think about that…

 

Murakami: None of us do, dumbass.

 

Dazai: …

 

**For the most part, the rest of my time in the cafeteria was spent eating in silence with my classmates, who were mostly similarly quiet. Everyone began dispersing, leaving the room to go do something else or to just escape the awkward atmosphere that was filling the room.**

 

**Tachibana, Watanabe, Crane, Arakawa, Goto, and Rowena stayed behind, presumably to practice for the night’s talent show.**

  


**A few hours later, I found myself in my dorm room again. I had spent some time looking through the drawers of my vanity, and experimenting with the various cosmetics and perfumes contained within. But that got boring after a while. And I still had a significant period of time before the talent show, so… I should probably socialize a bit.**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

  


**I made my way over to the coffee shop, thinking that I could do some reading or find someone to talk to there. While I didn’t get a chance to read, I did find Murakami behind the counter. He was messing with the various appliances, not seeming to have the faintest idea how any of them worked, and had a determined expression on his face.**

 

Murakami: Dammit, what’s a guy gotta do to get a decent latte around here?!

 

Murakami: It really ain’t cool for a guy like me to ask for help, but do you think you could help me out? At this rate, I’m probably going to make something explode.

 

**Murakami is kind of a rude guy… do I offer to help him anyway?**

 

 **Yes** / No

 

Urogataya: Alright, sure.

  


**I spent a couple hours fiddling around with the coffeemakers and other appliances with Murakami. I didn’t know much about fixing or using the equipment there, but we had a good time anyway. After several periods of sweat, tears, and one particular incident involving whipped cream, we had managed to get everything working and were able to make coffee and other related beverages. In the end, we sat at a table together, drinking.**

 

**I think we got a little closer.**

 

Murakami: [Holds up his drink] Cheers, to good health!

 

Urogataya: [Clinks her glass against his] Aye-aye!

 

Murakami: [Takes a sip]

 

Murakami: ……

 

Murakami: [Spits] HA-AAAUUUUGHH!!! It tastes like battery acid…

 

Murakami: Man, I’m missing Handa’s coffee already.

 

Urogataya: Huh? I thought that you knew how to make coffee.

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] I’m lucky in most things, just not in the kitchen. I almost failed Home Economics a few years back.

 

Urogataya: Why did you take a class like that if you knew you weren’t good at cooking?

 

Murakami: Hey, it was a required class. I didn’t have a choice!

 

Urogataya: Eep, sorry!

 

**I tentatively sipped the coffee… only to immediately hack it back up. I guess this is why I’m not a Super High School Level Barista.**

 

Urogataya: Urgghhh……

 

Murakami: I guess kitchen shit is one thing I haven’t gotten lucky with.

 

Urogataya: ...Hey, Murakami? Before, you said something about how you knew you’d make it into Hope’s Peak for good luck eventually. Has your good luck been, like, a thing for all your life?

 

Murakami: You can bet your ass it has.

 

Murakami: I’ve been makin’ the rounds on the gambling circuit since last year. I’ve racked up a fuckton of money. It’s no big deal.

 

Urogataya: Hey, isn’t gambling kind of illegal, though??

 

Murakami: Yeah, in Japan. But not in other places.

 

**Other places… where could he be referring to? I had to stop and think about it for a second.**

 

Taiwan / Russia / **Macau**

 

Urogataya: Oh, like Macau?

 

Murakami: Uh huh! I went there on vacation with my parents last year. That place is Asia’s gambling capital, practically.

 

Murakami: I made fuckin’ bank over there. I know, hold your applause. It’s very impressive.

 

Urogataya: S-sure…

 

Urogataya: Hey, I was wondering something else. How did you hear about the Good Luck program? It’s weird that you knew about it, but no one else did…

 

Murakami: [Snaps his fingers] Why, that’s simple. Family ties!

 

**Huh? What is he talking about?**

 

Murakami: My cousin Maho was recruited into the Good Luck program ages ago. I was a little kid back then, but my family talked about it sometimes. [Grins] So, it’s even luckier that I got in? What’re the chances of lightning strikin’ twice?

 

Urogataya: … Sure, if you put it that way, I guess.

 

**So I guess that Murakami’s gloating is justified, in a way. His talent of luck seems like it’s legitimate, but I wish he wasn’t so rude to everyone. I suppose that’s the risk you run when you hang out with super-talented students, though.**

 

**I think I understand Murakami a little better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  


**After our coffee shenanigans and subsequent conversations, Murakami left to go use the bathroom. I took that as my cue to leave. Hanging out with him had taken up a significant chunk of my time… judging from the time my ElectroID displayed, it was early in the evening.**

 

**I decided to go take a walk around the mall to clear my head… not that there were that many places to go. The place had started to feel very small, thanks to it having sixteen inhabitants and only one floor. My mind went back to the gated-off second floor. What could be up there that needed to be locked away? I decided not to dwell on it too much, just in case it could put me in danger.**

 

**I walked into the drugstore on a whim. I hadn’t spent very much time in there, since I didn’t really need any medicine or snacks, and I hadn’t been in need of new makeup.**

 

**Crane was sitting on the counter in there, reading what appeared to be a manga. He waved when he saw me.**

 

Crane: Hi, Urogataya-chan! What’re you doing around here?

 

Urogataya: Oh, you know… just walking around.

 

Urogataya: … Now that I think about it, I should be asking _you_ that question. Weren’t you at the talent show practice?

 

Crane: [Smiles] Yeah, pretty much all afternoon. We actually just finished about… I dunno, forty-five minutes ago? It’s 5:15 now, so… yeah, that sounds about right.

 

Crane: The show’s at 6:00 tonight. You’re coming, right?

 

Urogataya: Of course!

 

**It’s not like I really have anything else to do, though…**

 

Crane: I’ve still gotta find someone else to participate in my capoeira demo… Watanabe-kun is built like a brick wall, so he can probably take a punch. But when I asked him, he just looked at me and said no.

 

Crane: Say, you wouldn’t be interested in participating, would you?

 

Urogataya: H-huh?? No thanks, I think I’ll stay out of this one.

 

**I really don’t want to get beat up on my third day here, I don’t think that would make the best impression on everyone else.**

 

Crane: [Places his hand on his chin] I could probably ask Nosaka-kun. Everyone who isn’t him would get a real kick out of that…

 

Urogataya: Perfect. What about Monokuma?

 

Crane: Hahaha! If he’d let me, that would be perfect. Everyone would probably love that. Even Monokuma, I think. He’s probably a masochist.

 

**We laughed. Looking back on it, I probably should have savored the friendly camaraderie of the drugstore in that moment more. It was… the last of that I would be getting with no strings attached for a very, very long time.**

 

**Why, you ask?**

 

**Because in that moment, a piercing scream echoed throughout the entire mall.**

 

???: KYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Crane: H-holy shit, did you hear that?  
  
Urogataya: Yeah, I have ears…

 

Crane: I think it came from the food court. Let’s hurry.

 

Urogataya: I don’t know… I have a bad feeling about this.

 

Crane: Then that’s all the more reason to go! Someone could be in danger!

 

**He took me by the hand, and we ran out of the drugstore together.**

  


**Standing at the entrance of the food court, impossibly distraught, was Super High School Wedding Planner Minami Tachibana. She was in absolute hysterics.**

 

Urogataya: Tachibana-chan! What happened?

 

Tachibana: I… it…

 

Crane: Did something happen in the food court?

 

Tachibana: [Full-on sobbing] Y-y-yes! You c-can see for yourself, it’s awful!! Horrible!! I… I…

 

Crane: [Turns to Urogataya] We have to go in. There’s no other choice…

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah.

 

**Crane and I entered the food court. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first.**

 

Urogataya: What happened, Tachibana-san?

 

Tachibana: I d-d-don’t wanna say it… It’s right there! Look!

 

**She pointed a shaking finger to the row of tables that she, Crane, and Watanabe had lined up earlier in the morning for the talent show. One of them was knocked over. I ran over to it, and…**

  


**Have you ever read a detective novel? And you think to yourself “Oh yeah, I know how I would react if I saw a dead body, no big deal”? And then you finish the novel and go about your life with the knowledge that you’ll likely never see a dead body, so you won’t be able to test that thesis?**

 

**I’m afraid that I didn’t get that luxury.**

 

**Legs, splayed out in awkward directions…**

 

**Blood leaking out of shallow cuts on arms…**

 

**A ring of blue circling a neck like a choker, contrasting starkly with the alabaster-white skin surrounding it…**

 

**Eyes barely open, looking towards the heavens as if begging God for a final chance at life…**

  


**There she was…**

 

**Super High School Level Ballet Dancer Suzue Arakawa…**

 

**And the world fell away beneath my feet.**

 

**_CHAPTER 1: SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP... DEAD_ **

 

**_(AB)NORMAL DAYS: END_ **

 

**_15 Students Remain_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, oops! Were you surprised? I know I am, and I wrote the damn thing  
> The investigation will start next chapter! Do you have any theories in advance, though? Do you think you can guess the killer now?  
> 


	8. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 5)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, this one took a little longer than normal because it went through a lot of editing. Sorry about that! I've included a list of evidence at the end for your convenience.  
> Also, for this chapter alone, there's no investigation partner for Rumi. It would've been Arakawa, but... oops. Don't worry, she'll get one next investigation.

???: Oh, god… Oh my god…

 

???: F-fuck, did it really happen? Someone…

 

???: I think I’m going to be sick…

 

???: Urogataya-chan? Guys, she passed out. Hey, Urogataya-chan…

 

**I felt myself being moved, but it was impossible to tell where the movement was coming from. It felt as though something inside of me had dislodged and was shaking around. Every part of my body was limp and numb, but I finally found the strength to open my eyes.**

 

**Ando was gently trying to shake me awake, a sympathetic look in his eyes. Why… why was I on the floor?**

 

**Suddenly, I remembered.**

 

Urogataya: Arakawa...san? _Arakawa-san!_

 

**_50% OFF SALE - ABNORMAL DAYS_ **

  


**With all my strength, I wiggled myself free of the cowherd’s grip… and came face to face with the sight of her cadaver once again. I nearly vomited from the sight.**

 

**Just this morning, she was sitting with us at breakfast… she was looking for a way out of here, she talked to me, and…**

 

**Though she was never really all that vivacious in nature, she was always there for everybody. So… so how could she be dead?!**

 

**I tried to scream, but the strangled noise coming from my throat was unrecognizable and indescribable. Ando continued to hold me awkwardly.**

 

Ando: Urogataya-san… are y’ gonna be alright?

 

Urogataya: Do I… do I look like I’m alright? How could I b-be alright? One of our friends just _died_ … I… I…

 

**I couldn’t find the strength to continue speaking. I was aware that there were other people in the room, but I couldn’t meet any of their gazes. I just allowed their words to wash over me, anything to bring me back to reality.**

 

Baisotei: I… Damn it! How could this happen?!

 

Torisei: Oh, god, oh god…

 

Nosaka: Nice fuckin’ job, Baisotei. Your system worked just soooo well.

 

Watanabe: Will you stop trying to be snarky and funny for one second?

 

Handa: [Enters the room] What are you all yelling a- HOLY SHIT.

 

Giselle: [Crosses her hands over her chest] _Möge sie in Frieden ruhen…_

 

Irie: Well… what are we supposed to do now?

 

**In that moment, the person I wanted to see the least out of anyone there appeared.**

 

**Could he really be called a “person”, though?**

 

Monokuma: [Appears] I knew you could do it, kiddos! But did you have to take so long? I was getting waaaaayyyy too bored watching you muck about.

 

Goto: Are you here to, like, rub it in that someone died?

 

Tachibana: [Sobbing]

 

Monokuma: I guess you could say that, Goto-kun! However, I have other plans for you lot.

 

Torisei: Are you g-going to k-kill us too???

 

Monokuma: Whaaaat? Of course not! If I wanted to kill you all personally, I would’ve done that when you all came here initially. That’s no fun at all!

 

Monokuma: Rather… I’m here to give you all a present!

 

Rowena: The only “present” I desire is safe passage to Valhalla for Arakawa-san.

 

Monokuma: Yeah, yeah, mystic drivel, whatever. Anyway! I’ve taken the liberty of compiling an autopsy for you ungrateful rats, since none of you are medical types. Because…

 

Monokuma: It’s time for the investigation!

 

Baisotei: The… what…

 

Crane: Since when did this turn into a detective show?

 

Murakami: Since someone _died_ , you idiot!

 

Monokuma: That’s right! You kiddies are gonna play sherlock and hunt for clues to find the killer for the class trial, while I’m gonna enjoy a nice, relaxing massage! I’ve got a ton of knots in my back today.

 

Tachibana: [Sputtering] If a-anything, it’s m-m-me who n-needs the massage after d-d-discovering a dead body…

 

Monokuma: Too bad, so sad, girly! You have an hour! Go!

 

**With that, the bear vanished. Everyone stood there for a minute, not really sure what to do about the situation - least of all me. My best friend here had just died. I had just passed out in the middle of the food court, and I wasn’t in any condition to do anything. And yet…**

 

**A new feeling began flowing through my veins, invigorating me. I had to do it - I had to find Arakawa’s killer and bring them to justice. Otherwise, Arakawa - graceful, strong Arakawa - would have died for nothing. Though it took me a few tries, I managed to stand up and look everyone in the eye.**

 

Urogataya: I’m… I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna find her killer.

 

Crane: I’ll help! Arakawa-chan was my friend, and I can’t forgive the person who did this.

 

Tachibana: I’ll h-help too… after all, it w-was kind of m-my responsibility…

 

**Everyone else either murmured their agreement or stayed silent. I noted that the group who did the latter consisted of Dazai, Handa, and Nosaka, but I didn’t say anything to any of them.**

 

Baisotei: Now, then. Shall we get started?

  


**INVESTIGATION START!**

 

**Everyone dispersed to check out various areas of the crime scene, leaving me standing alone. It figures. Anyway, the first thing I did was check the autopsy - it had been uploaded to a new tab in my ElectroID under the name “Monokuma File 1”. I shuddered, hoping that there would be no “Monokuma File 2”.**

 

**The file contained a photograph of the crime scene, a full-body diagram of Arakawa with areas on her arms and neck highlighted in red, and a short description of the damage that had been done to her. I quickly averted my eyes from the picture of her body, choosing instead to move on to the autopsy itself.**

 

_The victim is Suzue Arakawa. The body was found in the Food Court at 5:21 PM by Minami Tachibana, Rumi Urogataya, and Crane Omiata._

 

_Cause of death was strangulation. The victim has shallow incisions in the arms, and there is evidence of minor head trauma. There are no traces of poison or other drugs._

 

_The time of death was approximately 4:37 PM._

 

**Admittedly, there wasn’t much to go off of, but it was still good to know the specifics of her death - I never would have guessed that she had head trauma, since her head wasn’t bleeding.**

 

**The best move would have probably been to look at the body next, but I still felt like throwing up. Fortunately, Tachibana looked like she felt the same way. I decided to question her.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, are you feeling alright?

 

Tachibana: [Sniffles] N-no… she died only a few minutes after I dismissed everybody from talent show practice. Maybe I could have stopped it if I…

 

Urogataya: It wasn’t your fault, Tachibana-san. Unless you killed her, of course.

 

Tachibana: I d-d-didn’t kill her! I… I…

 

**Way to diffuse the situation, Rumi. Good job, me.**

 

Urogataya: But do you think you could tell me about what happened at the practice?

 

Tachibana: Th-that I can do.

 

Tachibana: Practice began at about 10:30 AM, and went through to 4:30 PM… There was a half hour-long break for lunch at 1:00 PM. Of course, it was mostly pre-prepared food, but that’s not really relevant. The order of rehearsals went like this - Arakawa-chan with her ballet, Rowena-chan with her scary stories, Goto-kun with his guitar stuff, Crane-kun with his capoeira, and Watanabe-kun with his… lifting. He actually lifted everyone up. It was kind of uncomfortable, but actually pretty impressive. After the rehearsal, I went to the clothing store.

 

Tachibana: I did notice, though… between Watanabe-kun’s rehearsal and everyone leaving, Arakawa-chan said something about having lost something. She left with the rest of us, but… she might have come back later to find it… oh, god.

 

Urogataya: [Nods] Thank you, Tachibana-san. I think you should take some time off today. This is hard on all of us, but I think you deserve it.

 

Tachibana: [Sniffs] Thank you, Urogataya-chan…

  


**Weirdly enough, there were a few people hanging around who weren’t doing anything to investigate the body. One of them was Rowena, who was just kind of standing there. It was kind of weird, honestly.**

 

Urogataya: I would think that you’d be all over this kind of morbid thing.

 

Rowena: [Points] Just because I have an interest in death does not mean that I am an insensitive fool! I am fully aware of when my knowledge of the macabre should come into play and when it should not.

 

Urogataya: Isn’t now a good time to be using it, though…?

 

Rowena: In fact, I have already analyzed all I need to analyze. Fufufu…

 

Urogataya: Oh? Tell me, then!

 

Rowena: [Dramatic stance] Arakawa-san’s death had nothing to do with the paranormal!

 

Urogataya: …………….

 

**Oh.**

 

Urogataya: Well, how can you tell?

 

**Might as well humor her, I guess.**

 

Rowena: I have discovered that the janitorial closets in this area are channels for spiritual activity - they are empty, you see, and empty areas are great conduits!

 

Urogataya: Let me guess… there wasn’t any spiritual activity during the time of the murder?

 

Rowena: ………….

 

Rowena: Yeah.

 

**Her tone of voice suddenly changed…**

 

Urogataya: Thanks for the tip, though.

 

Rowena: Bah! ‘Tis no problem for I, the great mistress of the night!

 

**And she’s back to normal again. The more things change, I guess.**

  


**Unfortunately for me, my work had only just begun. While Tachibana rested and Rowena continued skulking about, it was time for me to face the body. Steeling myself, I forced myself to walk towards it- I mean her.**

 

**It was clear from the state of the body that Arakawa had not died a peaceful death - her eyes were rolled almost all the way up, and her facial expression was rather unpleasant. I almost gagged.**

 

**Crane, who was standing near me, noticed my discomfort. He gently pushed Arakawa’s eyelids shut and her mouth closed.**

 

Urogataya: Thanks.

 

Crane: No problem. I thought the state of the body was… kind of disrespectful, y’know? Maybe now she can safely pass, like Rowena-chan said she would.

 

Urogataya: You’re religious?  
  
Crane: No, I’d just like to think that she’s happy somewhere.

 

**I couldn’t think of anything to say in response to that that wouldn’t end in me crying, so I kept my mouth shut. I decided to keep the state of the body in mind, though. There had to be a reason that she looked like that.**

  


**Arakawa’s body was lying, somewhat haphazardly, against a tabletop - the table had obviously been pushed over in some sort of scuffle. Watanabe was examining this with great scrutiny.**

 

Watanabe: You can probably tell because you have eyes, but this was one of the tables from the “stage”. I don’t know why it would be knocked over, though.

 

Urogataya: The rest of the tables seem intact… does that mean anything?

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs] it probably means that whoever pushed over the table didn’t use a lot of force, if only one fell over. Whoever did this couldn’t have been that strong.

 

Urogataya: So it couldn’t have been you?

 

Watanabe: [Shakes head] No. There’s also the fact that I was in the canal area at the time of death, if I remember right.

 

Urogataya: That’s a weird place to be…

 

Watanabe: I was heading back to my room.

 

Urogataya: O-oh, that makes sense.

 

Watanabe: Yeah.

 

**I tried to keep what he’d said in mind, but it was hard to remember anything he said in that droning voice of his.**

  


**The first thing I noticed upon examining the rest of Arakawa’s body were the cuts in her arms. They were shallow, seeming to only be a centimeter or two deep, but blood had still leaked out of them. They were even all the way through. Upon seeing me examine these, Baisotei smirked.**

 

Baisotei: Ah, so you’ve gotten to the important part.

 

Urogataya: What do you mean by that?

 

Baisotei: [Crosses arms] Well, you helped me with confiscating with all the knives and things that could be used as weapons, right?

 

Urogataya: Yeah…

 

Baisotei: But one person took a knife and didn’t return it. The knife is the only thing that could’ve made those cuts in her arms…

 

Baisotei: Ergo, the culprit!

 

Baisotei: The culprit of this murder… is AKIRA HANDA!

 

**She shouted the last part, and everyone turned to look at her - including Handa, who had up until that moment been trying to sneak out the door.**

 

Handa: ...What?

 

Baisotei: You’re the only one who had a knife, and these cuts could have only been made using a blade!

 

Urogataya: I’m not sure if that’s-

 

Handa: How many times do I have to say anything before it registers, you cow?

 

Ando: Hey, cows don’t exist so they can be used as the butt of your jokes…

 

Baisotei: Just once. From now on, you are NOT leaving this room without being under the jurisdiction of another student.

 

**Handa looked like he was about to go off on her, but he merely slumped his shoulders and pouted.**

 

Handa: … Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll play your games.

 

Baisotei: Good.

 

**Somehow, I wasn’t sure that Baisotei’s reasoning was solid, but I decided to remember it anyway. It couldn’t hurt to do that, right?**

 

**I thanked her and continued on with the investigation.**

  


**There was still the matter of the thing that had caused Arakawa’s death: the strangling. The blue ring around her neck was still prominent.**

 

**I realized I only had one option. As uncomfortable as it made me, it appeared that it was the only choice. I shuddered.**

 

Urogataya: ………..

 

**For the first time in my life, I touched a dead body.**

 

**Using my pointer finger, I traced the ring around her throat. It looked like a macabre choker or an especially ballsy tattoo choice. I did notice, though, that it was approximately the width of my finger, and flat.**

 

**I realized with a start that it couldn’t have been a rope or someone’s fingers that strangled Arakawa. Wouldn’t the shape of the strangulation marks be different if that was the case?**

**This was probably really important, but there was still the matter of what she was strangled with to deal with. I decided to look around and see if I could find the murder weapon somewhere else.**

  


**I was about to move away from the body and onto the crime scene when a tiny detail caught my eye - Arakawa’s fingers. They were splayed out in uncomfortable positions, but that wasn’t the point. Her fingers were entirely bare. Why did that feel off to me…?**

 

**With a jolt, I realized: Arakawa usually wore a ring. I remembered a few nights ago, before the motive was announced… she was sitting in the coffee shop, playing with a ring on her finger before I came in. I hadn’t ever seen her take it off, so where could it possibly be?**

 

**I probably could have questioned other people about the whereabouts of the ring, but I worried that it would be too obscure for people to have noticed. I decided to keep it to myself for a while.**

  


**A variety of objects, presumably from the talent show rehearsal, were spread out near the body. I decided to take a look at them to see if I could gather any other information.**

 

**First up was a pair of ballet slippers. One of them - the right slipper - was closer to Arakawa’s body than the left one. Both looked very well-worn and expensive. I assumed that these belonged to the ballet dancer - I couldn’t imagine they could belong to any of the boys, and I don’t think Rowena would be caught dead in anything that wasn’t a shade of red or black. These were more ivory-colored than anything.**

 

**Dazai was examining them along with me, and gave me a sordid look.**

 

Dazai: Pointe shoes. Did you know that wearing pointe shoes without proper ballet training can cause grievous injury to your feet?

 

Urogataya: How would you know that…?

 

Dazai: I make tiny clothing for dolls, you dumbass.

 

Urogataya: O-oh…

 

Dazai: So what I’m saying is that it’s not like anyone could’ve worn these while they were sending Arakawa-me to meet her maker. I don’t know why anyone would, though. Maybe as a creepy fetish thing.

 

**What was up with that change in honorific?**

 

Urogataya: That makes sense, I guess.

 

Dazai: That’s not it, though. Did you notice anything weird?

 

**I took another glance at the shoes. Something was odd, I could tell, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Dazai seemed to sense my confusion, and scoffed audibly.**

 

Dazai: I’ll spell it out for you. Pointe shoes usually have a lace on each side, but on the right shoe here, there’s only one.

 

Dazai: Seems like someone tore the other one off, but why?

 

Urogataya: Wait a second, I have an idea.

 

**I decided to measure the remaining shoelace using the same method I had used to measure Arakawa’s strangulation wound. Surprisingly, the lace was also the same width as my finger. This could only mean one thing.**

 

**The shoelace had to be the murder weapon.**

 

**But that didn’t explain the knocked-over table, or the cuts in her arms, or… I shook my head. Though I had solved one puzzle, it was not nearly enough to go off of.**

 

Dazai: [Raises eyebrow] Wow. The lace is the same width as your dick.

 

Urogataya: …

 

Dazai: Just lightening the mood. You’re the one who always says I’m too negative.

 

Urogataya: Sure, right.

 

**Despite her cynicism, Dazai had provided me with useful evidence. There’s no way I would’ve noticed the laces on my own. I thanked her and moved on.**

  


**Placed haphazardly near the body was what appeared to be a guitar. Its surface was very smooth and shiny, as if great care had been taken to preserve it. An abstract purple-and-green pattern was drawn on it.**

 

Urogataya: This is…

 

**At that moment in time, Goto chose to walk up.**

 

Goto: Beautiful, isn’t she? She’s a Marshall Frog’s model X7. Limited edition.

 

Urogataya: Isn’t Marshall Frog’s that one anime?

 

Goto: No, they’re a guitar company. They sponsor a lot of popular guitarists - you ever heard of Ibuki Mioda?

 

Urogataya: Oh, yeah! Her music was never really my thing, though.

 

Goto; [Nods] I get that.

 

Urogataya: So this is yours?

 

Goto: I mean, yeah. Guess I forgot it here during practice.

 

**I looked closer at the guitar, trying to see if any details on it were in any way noteworthy - and although I’m not a musical type, something did indeed catch my eye. I decided to ask Goto about it, since it was his guitar and he was the only one there with a music-related talent.**

 

Urogataya: Guitars usually have six strings, right?

 

Goto: [Raises an eyebrow] Sure they do.

 

Urogataya: Then… why does this one only have five?

 

**Sure enough, the string that should’ve been the thinnest and the highest-pitched was nowhere to be found. Only the five lower ones remained, all lined up without any incriminating gaps between them.**

 

Goto: Gh…! Oh god, my manager’s gonna kill me.

 

**Is that really all he cared about…?**

 

Goto: But I definitely didn’t do this, right? I’ve had this baby for years, I’d never break her.

 

Urogataya: I don’t see why you would, honestly.

 

Goto: I think I’ve caught the murderer’s drift at this point. They’re tryin’ to frame me!

 

Urogataya: Huh???

 

Goto: Listen, criminals in cop shows do this shit all the time. Someone’s got beef with me, and now they’re trying to take it out on me. They fucked up my guitar so y’all think that I used it as the murder weapon, or something!

 

Goto: I should know, I watched one of those lawyer shows once.

 

Urogataya: I guess that could be in the realm of possibility…

 

Goto: You’ve gotta help me, Urogataya-kun.

 

Urogataya: Um, I’ll try my best.

 

**What a weird reaction… I suppose that for a mellow guy like Goto, though, stuff like this is especially troubling. However, the thing with the guitar could turn out to be important later.**

  


**I supposed that I couldn’t avoid it any longer. There was one thing that I would have to do in order to complete my investigation. It would be unpleasant, but I would have to grit my teeth and get through it.**

 

**I walked up to Handa, who was somehow giving everyone in the room a death glare, and pulled out a seat next to him.**

 

Urogataya: Wanna talk?

 

Handa: I would prefer not to.

 

Urogataya: Listen, I just wanna find out what you know. I’m not sure who did this yet, but…

 

Handa: [Scowls] if Baisotei had her way, it would be me.

 

Urogataya: Alright…

 

Urogataya: Can you tell me why you took out a knife yesterday?

 

Handa: Why is everyone so hung up on that?! Ugh, fine. I’ll tell you if it shuts you up.

 

Handa: I was practicing knife skills in my room. If we’ve really lost two years of our memories, it’s possible that I was getting rusty. To do that would be a stain on my reputation.

 

Urogataya: Really?

 

Handa: [Glowers] What were you expecting me to be doing? Did you think I was training for the circus? If you disbelieve me, I can show you.

 

Urogataya: I think that would be useful, Handa-kun.

 

Handa: Don’t you “Handa-kun” me.

 

Urogataya: Erm, sorry… Handa-san?

 

Handa: Sure.

 

**I gave Baisotei a quick wave to let her know that I was going with Handa, and he led me away before she could object. We quickly hurried out of the food court, across the bridge over the canal, and into his dorm.**

 

**Handa’s dorm was surprisingly homey for a person like him. It was mostly the same as everyone else’s, but it had a kitchen station that took up a whole wall. The smell of garlic and other spices permeated the room, making me feel warm and fuzzy.**

 

**The smell wasn’t the important part, though; on one of the kitchen station’s counters was a cutting board with a chopped-up onion sitting on top. And there, next to the onion, was the knife.**

 

Handa: [Leans against the wall] I’ll wait. You’ll probably cut yourself on the blade anyway.

 

Urogataya: Hey, I know how to use a knife! I made nachos once!

 

Handa: And how did that go?

 

Urogataya: Pretty badly.

 

Handa: [Scoffs]

 

**Anyway, back to the knife. It was a standard kitchen knife with a metal blade that curved inward towards the sharper side. It was wet, but not with blood. I took a sniff - and my eyes immediately started watering.**

 

Handa: What did you expect? I was cutting an onion.

 

Urogataya: You could’ve warned me, though… I would’ve appreciated it!

 

Handa: I could’ve.

 

**I waited for him to continue the statement, but he just leered at me.**

 

Urogataya: You’re really not helping the case against you, you know.

 

Handa: Sure I am. Back to the Food Court, then.

 

**Almost as quickly as we had gotten there, we had left Handa’s dorm. The spicy smells vanished, replaced by whatever air freshener Monokuma used for the rest of the mall.**

  


**I was about to call it a day and wait out the five-or-so minutes we had left in the hour of investigating, when all of a sudden someone grabbed my hand and pulled me near a food kiosk. Flinching, I looked up to see Murakami. His face was free of his trademark smirk.**

 

Murakami: Can I talk to you?

 

Urogataya: Huh? Are you confessing your undying love for me, Murakami-kun?

 

Murakami: I wish. I actually have some information that could be useful to you. You’re the one who’s been running around the whole scene, so I figured I’d tell you and maybe bring it up at the trial later.

 

Urogataya: Huh??

 

Murakami: You saw Baisotei and Arakawa talking last night, right?

 

**I remembered - they were having a conversation in the hallway where I first woke up. I couldn’t hear them, but I wasn’t the only one trying to eavesdrop. Goto, Murakami and I were all trying to listen.**

 

Urogataya: Yeah. I was trying to listen in on them, but Baisotei gave me this scary look and I ran away…

 

Murakami: Well, I stuck around and tried to listen to their conversation. And I actually heard a few things.

 

Murakami: It was kind of hard to hear them, but… they were talking about establishing some sort of weird thing. I couldn’t understand the details, exactly, but…

 

Urogataya: A… weird thing.

 

Murakami: From what I could gather, it had something to do with _usefulness of talent_ , or something. I don’t know which one of them proposed it, but whichever one it was, they have no idea whether or not that would even help us. It sounded shitty as hell.

 

Urogataya: Why would they do that, though? I knew Arakawa-san and I know Baisotei-san, they have - or had - it in their best interests to help all of us…

 

Murakami: I think they thought they were helping, but-

  


**He never got to finish what he was saying, because at that moment-**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Attention, shoppers! I really hope you actually did something useful instead of just laying around or fondling Arakawa’s corpse, because your time for investigation is up!

 

Monokuma: Please gather in front of the fountain. Unlike the last time we met there, attendance _is_ mandatory.

 

Monokuma: I’ll see you all soon! Upupupu…

 

**With that, the sound system clicked off.**

 

**INVESTIGATION END**

  


**I looked over at Murakami, who stared back at me with a dread-filled expression.**

 

Murakami: Dammit, has it really been an hour…?

 

Urogataya: I don’t know, I guess it must’ve been.

 

Urogataya: I have a really bad feeling about this.

 

Murakami: Don’t we all? Come on, let’s go.

  


**I really wish that I could have avoided it. We should be having a funeral for Arakawa, not a trial for her… and judging from the ElectroID rules, it’s likely that we’ll be entering the courtroom a class of fifteen and coming out a class of fourteen.**

 

**Or a class of one.**

 

**But Arakawa was my best friend, and she deserved justice. If I didn’t do anything to help in this case, she would have died for nothing.**

 

**Murakami and I walked silently over to the fountain area, barely even looking at each other for fear of what might happen next. As expected, our fellow students were all loitering around the area. A few looked like they were about to throw up.**

 

Irie: I still can’t believe this is actually something we have to do.

 

Baisotei: I feel the same way, Irie-san.

 

Torisei: This is just really, really scary…

 

Ando: [Thinking] I mean, it’s one thing ta say that we’re havin’ a trial, but actually goin’ ta one…

 

Tachibana: I h-hate the fact that we m-might not come out of this alive. W-why do we have to do this? Who’s behind this?

 

Nosaka: It’s Handa-kun, innit?

 

Handa: Feh.

 

Dazai: Quit whining.

 

**After that bit of depressive banter, Monokuma finally arrived. He sure had taken his sweet time.**

 

Watanabe: [Deadpan] And how was your massage.

 

Monokuma: How nice of you to ask, Watanabe-kun! It was just great. I feel like a brand new bear!

 

Rowena: Enough nonsense, ursid. Take us to this trial.

 

Monokuma: Eh?!? Fine, fine. Give me just a second, I need to find the button.

 

**He began to run around the fountain, completing several rotations before stopping at a particular area.**

 

Monokuma: Ah, here!

 

*click*

 

*rumblerumblerumblerumblerumble*

 

**As everyone watched in awe, the fountain split in two. The middle column began to rise, until the fish statue was even farther off the ground than it was originally. The water clicked off, and standing in the middle of what was the fountain was a large, round tower.**

 

Irie: Remind me to take notes on this next time we have a trial. This is something I could use.

 

Goto: But I don’t wanna have another trial…

 

Crane: Irie-chan, I think you’re missing the point.

 

Monokuma: Beneath your feet is the courtroom! You’re just gonna have to take this handy dandy elevator down there, because you don’t possess my awesome powers of teleportation. Toodles!

 

**With that, he disappeared for what seemed like the millionth time.**

 

Baisotei: All right, everybody in. I don’t want to know what he’ll do to us if we don’t come.

 

**Wordlessly, we all followed Baisotei’s orders. The elevator was surprisingly roomy inside. I stared at my reflection in one of its mirrored walls as we slowly began our descent. What had I done in my life to deserve what was happening to me? What had Arakawa done?**

 

**Nobody said anything once we entered the elevator. The tension was palpable. Nervous glances were shared with others, and people fidgeted about, but the only sound to be heard were the inner workings of the elevator lowering us into what seemed like an endless abyss.**

 

**Suzue Arakawa: While she might not have been the friendliest person in the world, she was someone who I deeply trusted. She was responsible, and strong - and that was exactly the reason that she was killed. But there had to be an ulterior motive to this, didn’t there? I prayed that what I had discovered during the investigation would help me. Otherwise, I was completely screwed.**

 

**After what seemed like forever, the elevator thunked to a stop, and we entered a trial of hope and despair.**

  


**\----------**

 

**Evidence List**

 

 **Monokuma File 1:** An autopsy report on Arakawa’s death. It cites the cause of death as strangulation and the time of death as 4:37 PM, along with a few other things.

 

 **Tachibana’s testimony:** _“Practice began at 10:30 and ended at 4:30, with a short break in the middle. The rehearsal order was Arakawa, Rowena, Goto, Crane, and Watanabe. Arakawa said something about having lost something after Watanabe’s rehearsal, but left with everyone else.”_

 

 **Rowena’s testimony:** _“I was hanging out in one of the empty janitorial closets during the murder, and it had nothing to do with the occult”._

 

 **Appearance of body:** Arakawa’s eyes were rolled almost all the way up, and her mouth was open when everyone else found her.

 

 **Knocked-over table:** A table comprising the talent show “stage”, Arakawa’s body was resting against it. It’s the only table of the “stage” to be knocked over.

 

 **Watanabe’s testimony:** _“I was in the canal area at the time of death. I was heading back to my room.”_

 

 **Cuts in the arms:** A series of shallow-ish cuts in Arakawa’s arms. They’re relatively even in width, and have drawn blood.

 

 **Baisotei’s testimony:** _“Handa took a knife from the knife box yesterday, and still hasn’t returned it.”_

 

 **Strangulation marks:** A long line of even width wraps around Arakawa’s neck. It’s bluish in color.

 

 **Arakawa’s ring:** A metal ring Arakawa wore on her pointer finger. It’s suspiciously absent from her body.

 

 **Pointe shoes:** A pair of Arakawa’s ballet slippers. They were found at the crime scene, spread apart from each other. Their laces are approximately the same width as Arakawa’s neck wound. A lace on the right one has been torn off, and is nowhere to be found.

 

 **Bass guitar:** A “Marshall Frog’s model X7” belonging to Goto. The High E string is missing. Goto claims to have forgotten it in the food court after the rehearsal.

 

 **Handa’s testimony:** _“I took the knife because I wanted to practice knife skills. I didn’t think that signing it back in was necessary.”_

 

 **Kitchen knife:** A knife from the Food Court, found in Handa’s room after he checked it out. The blade slopes as it gets sharper. It’s covered in onion residue.

 

 **Murakami’s Testimony:** _“Arakawa and Baisotei were talking last night, about forming some kind of talent-based system within the mall.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I'm gonna be honest, writing murders is not my strong suit. I apologize if any of the ones in dr:doa seem too obvious or something.
> 
> Then again, I was always perplexed by absurdly complicated murders in fangan ronpas - you know what I'm talking about, the ones that are filled with complicated mechanisms that seem like it would have taken days to plan out. 
> 
> Nevertheless, I hope you can stick with this story even in spite of my insecurity about the quality of the murders - it'll be worth it in the end, trust me.
> 
> So who do you think did it? Feel free to leave your theories and guesses in the comments! Also, I would really appreciate feedback after the first chapter, so I know what to do with future chapters.
> 
> Finally, free time event voting will open up in part 1 of the trial! All votes for the culprit will be nullified, but you can vote for as many characters as you want. I've already got two planned out that were special requests, but I'll reveal which characters those were at the end of the chapter (otherwise I'd be giving away who ISN'T the murderer)
> 
> [EDIT 7/22/17: After looking over this, I'm not entirely happy with the format this investigation was presented in, and it will be slightly different from chapter 2 onward. I'm hoping to make it flow better in the future, but I don't have the time to go back and edit this.]


	9. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 6)

**The courtroom was a circular room with no windows. The walls were mirrored, and several barres were attached to them - almost like the room was a ballet studio. Monokuma has a really sick sense of humor when it comes to that kind of thing, quite frankly. Sixteen podiums were arranged in a circle, each engraved with a name. There was a screen on each podium too, but it was currently blank. Monokuma sat on a large judge chair off to the side, lazily sipping a slurpee.**

 

**This is it, then.**

 

**_BLACK FRIDAY BLOWOUT - CLASS TRIAL_ **

  


Monokuma: Before we start, I’m going to go quickly over the rules. Listen up!

 

Monokuma: In this trial, you’re all acting as the detectives, lawyers, and jury all rolled into one. The trial will only end when all votes are cast!

 

Monokuma: If you vote for the right person, you’ll all be able to continue living, and I might even reward you.

 

Monokuma: However, if you vote for the wrong person… the only person able to continue living will be the culprit! The rest of you will be brutally executed!

 

Monokuma: That’s enough from me, though. Have at it!

 

Dazai: This sucks.

 

Nosaka: For once, I agree with gothy over there. This is complete bullshit. It’s insane!

 

Irie: Do we really need to have a trial when everyone knows who the killer is?

 

Irie: I mean, it’s clearly Handa-san. He has so much stacked against him.

 

Handa: Silence, you whelp!

 

Torisei: Hey, guys…?

 

Baisotei: You’re not helping your case at all, you know.

 

Torisei: Um…

 

Goto: Maybe we should just, like, vote now.

 

Torisei: GUYS!

 

**Everyone turned to look at the normally quiet boy. He trembled under everyone’s gazes, but continued speaking.**

 

Torisei: What… what’s that?

 

**With a shaking finger, he pointed across the courtroom at a particular stand. While all the other stands were occupied by a person, this one was not. However, it was still occupied by… something.**

 

**On a long, wooden stand was a forward-facing headshot of Arakawa. I assumed it was the photo they used for her ElectroID, because she appeared to be wearing an outfit similar to the one I was wearing in mine. A blood-colored X marred her face, as if someone had drawn it on hastily with a calligraphy brush.**

 

**It made me sick.**

 

Rowena: What… what is the meaning of this?!? [Points towards Monokuma] How dare you disgrace us with this- this effigy, this false idol!

 

Giselle: Why this?

 

Monokuma: Oy, pipe down! Just because Arakawa-chan’s dead doesn’t mean that she can afford to miss the trial. Just pretend she’s right there, making her usual snooty remarks.

 

Crane: U-urgh…

 

Crane: Let’s talk about the actual murder, then.

 

Murakami: Finally, someone’s saying something that makes sense in this hellhole.

 

Watanabe: ...Hey.

 

Watanabe: The cause of death was strangulation, right.

 

Watanabe: If Handa-san had attacked Arakawa-san with the knife, then the cuts would’ve probably been the cause of death.

 

Nosaka: You mean the cuts weren’t what killed her?

 

Irie: I wouldn’t have expected you to have read the file anyway, Nosaka-san.

 

Watanabe: [Nods] Exactly.

 

Baisotei: It’s entirely possible that Handa-san cut her and _then_ strangled her, or vice versa…

 

Handa: [Huffs]

 

Murakami: Awawa, you don’t even have anything to say for yourself, do you?

 

Handa: I do.

 

Handa: But you wouldn’t believe me, so I’ll wait until someone else brings it up first.

 

Tachibana: That doesn’t really make any sense…

  


**What was it that he could be talking about…? I really don’t want to defend him, but something about this situation seems wrong.**

 

Giselle: Akira, please…

 

**...Wait, I got it!**

 

Urogataya: Hey, you’ve got that wrong!

 

Dazai: D-did you really need to shout that?

 

Urogataya: Sorry, but I know what Handa-san was doing while the crime occurred… he wasn’t anywhere near the Food Court.

 

Baisotei: Mhm…

 

Urogataya: I went back to his room with him during the investigation. Do you know what I found?

 

Urogataya: The knife that Baisotei-san was wondering about. I smelled it, and it was covered in onion smell… not blood smell.

 

Torisei: H-how would you know what blood smells like…?

 

Urogataya: I’m not the Super High School Level Perfumer for nothing, you know!

 

Baisotei: [Serious] As much as I hate to doubt my own theories, I know from experience that the smell of blood is not easy to get rid of.

 

Dazai: Thanks for… sharing that…

 

Goto: Hey, how’d we know that he isn’t just setting all this up because he _is_ the murderer? Maybe it’s, like, a total misdirect! He knew about the talent show, after all!

 

Handa: I did, because Tachibana-san insisted on standing on the table to announce it.

 

Tachibana: It wasn’t that big a deal!

 

Handa: However, you’re missing one detail. One that clears my name.

 

Goto: ...Huh?

 

Handa: ...Tachibana, Watanabe, Crane. One of you should have noticed.

 

Watanabe: ...Me.

 

Tachibana: Huh?

 

Crane: Wait, I think I get it now!

 

Crane: You weren’t on the side of the food court where we were moving tables… so you wouldn’t have known that we were practicing in the food court, right?

 

Crane: And Arakawa-chan was murdered in the food court, so you would have had to have known that we were practicing in there!

 

Urogataya: Exactly! Handa-san, I think that confirms your alibi.

 

Handa: [Smirks] Naturally.

 

Urogataya: ...Don’t look so smug about it, though, or else I’ll start to regret helping you out.

 

Handa: Hmph.

 

**As much as I don’t like Handa, I’m at least glad that one suspect has been eliminated. That means that we’re about one-fifteenth less likely to get executed, right? I don’t know, I’m not very good at math.**

  


Irie: [Tents hands] Crane-san, that may have been a mistake on your part.

 

Crane: How do you mean?

 

Irie: If we go by your logic, that means that the only people who could have killed her were…

 

Irie: The people who had signed up for - or who were associated with - the talent show.

 

Crane: Yeah? So?

 

Irie: Imbecile… you’re incriminating yourself.

 

Crane: [Shocked] H-hrk!

 

Ando: Tachibana-chan, d’ya mind goin’ over who was at th’ rehearsal?

 

Tachibana: Uh, sure!

 

Tachibana: Well, there was Arakawa-chan, of course, Rowena-chan, Goto-kun, Crane-kun, Watanabe-kun, and… [pales] me…

 

Goto: But didn’t Urogataya-chan come over and talk to Tachibana-chan earlier in the morning? She coulda known.

 

Urogataya: E-eh, now you’re blaming me?

 

Urogataya: I swear, I had nothing to do with this…

 

**Man, everyone is all over the place with these accusations. I at least have to prove that it wasn’t me before I start tackling all the other ones that everyone keeps lobbing at each other.**

 

Urogataya: It couldn’t have been me. There’s two people who know what I was doing this afternoon.

 

Urogataya: Murakami-kun, and Crane-kun.

 

Murakami: [Scratches head] We made some really shitty coffee today. I swear, we were probably fuckin’ around with the stuff in the coffee shop for hours.

 

Giselle: I could have helped, with coffee.

 

Dazai: Coffee isn’t important right now…

 

Crane: I was hanging out with Urogataya-chan in the drugstore for a bit, yeah. It was around… five-ish? Maybe like ten minutes after five, or something.

 

Urogataya: So there you have it. I’m not the murderer.

 

Urogataya: ...Plus, why would I kill Arakawa-chan? She was like my best friend.

 

Nosaka: Weren’t you like lesbians or something?

 

Urogataya: …………….Anyway.

  


Torisei: The trial’s only just st-started, and we’ve already narrowed it down…

 

Ando: What next, then?

 

Baisotei: The logical thing to do would be to determine the murder weapon. We were discussing the strangulation, I think, but we got sidetracked.

 

Handa: Whose fault was that?

 

Baisotei: Yes, I know, I was wrong. There’s no need to gloat about it, though.

 

Dazai: No, keep gloating. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.

 

Ando: We’re in th’ middle of a murder trial…

 

Rowena: Being choked is a rather painful death. God rest Arakawa-san’s soul.

 

Tachibana: Who could’ve choked her, though?

 

Nosaka: Someone with, like, really long fingers.

 

Giselle: But my fingers… short.

 

Crane: Do we need to measure everyone’s fingers?

 

Irie: [Clicks tongue] Are you all imbeciles? She clearly wasn’t choked.

 

Urogataya: While I don’t agree with you being kind of mean, Irie-chan, you’re right!

 

Irie: ...Keh.

 

Urogataya: I think I know what the murder weapon is.

 

Urogataya: It’s one of Arakawa’s shoes!

 

**...Urk. The moment I said that, I knew it came out weird. I got a bunch of weird looks from everyone else. I guess I have to better explain what I mean…**

 

Murakami: What the fuck?

 

Rowena: Gah! Has she been possessed? She speaks in riddles…

 

Urogataya: G-guys, that’s not what I meant. It came out wrong.

 

Urogataya: Arakawa-san’s pointe shoes were scattered near the crime scene.

 

Urogataya: The laces on them were the same width as the line on her neck!

 

Goto: That’s dumb, though. It seems like it’d be, like, really hard to do that with a shoe attached.

 

Urogataya: That’s the thing. One of the shoes… had had one of its laces torn off. If the culprit had done that, then it would be entirely possible for them to strangle her with it!

 

Goto: …

 

Goto: I guess??

 

Ando: Seems like a solid theory.

 

Baisotei: Now that I think about it more, if she were choked, there would’ve been fingerprints on her neck.

 

Baisotei: I almost wish that had been the case, because then we could have done a fingerprint test and determined the culprit right then and there…

 

Dazai: Kh, f-freak.

 

Handa: I would take the opportunity to judge you, Baisotei-san, but I’ve had enough of incriminating you for the time being. It’s a waste of energy.

 

Baisotei: ...Thanks.

  


Urogataya: So we agree? The lace was the murder weapon, then.

 

Irie: **HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!**

 

Urogataya: H-huh??

 

**In that moment, she blatantly interrupted me… it felt like we were the only ones in the room. There were murmurs among everyone else.**

 

Irie: [Runs her fingers through her hair] Your theories have been solid thus far, Urogataya-san, and for that I commend you.

 

Irie: However, this is too far a stretch even for me. A shoelace? Really? I didn’t think you were that simple.

 

Urogataya: ...I’m not.

 

Irie: But it doesn’t make any sense. It’s entirely possible that it could be something else.

 

Irie: Of course, it’s not someone’s hands. We already proved that.

 

Irie: But what’s saying that it couldn’t be something else?

 

**She’s making a compelling argument, but I have to stay persevering! If she does this too much, she could move everyone off the path to the actual solution, despite her seemingly good intentions…**

 

Urogataya: Something… else?

 

Irie: Yes, something else. Perhaps the culprit wanted to dissuade us from discovering the actual murder weapon by pulling off the shoelace.

 

Irie: Think about it - what would _you_ use if you wanted to strangle someone?

 

Irie: The most obvious answer would be a rope, it would be the most convenient and most effective method-

 

**Wait, that’s it! I think I’ve got it now!**

 

Urogataya: **I’LL CUT THAT CLAIM TO PIECES!**

 

Baisotei: [Claps her hands together] No knives allowed!

 

Urogataya: Uh, what about metaphorical blades?

 

Baisotei: I see… carry on.

 

Urogataya: Irie-chan, have you seen anywhere that might sell ropes?

 

Irie: [Thinking] I don’t believe so, actually. I was actually thinking one of the storage closets. I haven’t looked in them, but…

 

Urogataya: That’s where you’re wrong!

 

Irie: Hm?

 

Urogataya: I was talking to Rowena-chan earlier, during the investigation.

 

Dazai: [Muttering] Oh yeah, she hangs out in those.

 

Urogataya: And she confirmed that the closets are _empty_. There’s nowhere you could get rope anywhere on this floor!

 

Rowena: [Nods] Indeed!

 

Urogataya: Plus, rope isn’t flat. The markings on Arakawa-chan’s neck were all pretty flat! If they were from a rope, they would have gone inward, right?

 

Irie: I see. Could it not be something else, though?

 

Urogataya: I don’t think so. We didn’t find anything else at the crime scene that could have been it. So it has to have been the shoelace!

 

Irie: Hm…

 

Handa: Well, that was a spectacular waste of time. Can we move on, ladies?

 

Urogataya: Urgh! S-sorry…

 

**So I solved one mystery, but I still managed to aggravate Handa… then again, everything aggravates him.**

  


Giselle: If I may… have evidence, maybe. An _Aussage._

 

Crane: Huh? Go on, then.

 

Giselle: Suzue, her body… awkwardly posed, yes? Was awake when strangled.

 

Giselle: Ergo, the table - it tumbled over. Why?

 

Irie: I don’t think you know the meaning of the word “ergo”.

 

Giselle: [Forces a smile] _Ich versuche mein Bestes._

 

Murakami: She looked like she was being forced to eat someone’s shit, _Salo_ -style.

 

Rowena: Of course you would have that kind of taste in movies, heathen.

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] I’m just providing a mental image. We can talk movies when, y’know, our lives aren’t at stake?

 

Baisotei: We’ve narrowed the suspects down to the people who were at the talent show rehearsal, right?

 

Baisotei: Let me propose something, then… I don’t think the culprit could be Tachibana-san anymore.

 

Tachibana: Gosh, you were suspecting me?

 

Goto: Hang on, hang on! Why’s that?

 

Baisotei: Well, it’s clear that someone was fighting Arakawa-san before they strangled her, not to mention the fact that they knocked over a table.

 

Baisotei: You don’t seem like you’re physically strong… no offense, of course.

 

Tachibana: [Smiles] None taken!

 

Murakami: It might not have been that hard to overpower her, though. Ballet dancers aren’t that big, and the ElectroID info on Arakawa said she was only about 167 cm tall.

 

Dazai: Actually, Arakawa-me was pretty strong.

 

Dazai: Her arms were really hard and veiny… feh… disgusting.

 

Giselle: Muscly…

 

Watanabe: [Looks at his own arms] Well, shit. Looks like I’m off Dazai-san’s fuck list or something. Woe is me.

 

Dazai: I don’t even have a fuck list.

 

**Does Dazai really need to be so judgemental at all times? We’re in the middle of a trial, for God’s sake. I brushed it off anyway and began talking.**

 

Urogataya: So, then, it’s not a matter of how tall the attacker was, but how physically strong they are.

 

Nosaka: Hey, Watanabe-kun is the strongest one here! It was obviously him!

 

Nosaka: Plus, he’s also the tallest… so then it would matter!

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs]

 

Torisei: P-possibly…

 

**His apathetic nature is prominent even when he’s being accused of cold-blooded murder… god, how weird.**

 

**Wait, that’s wrong! I can help him, I have the evidence required! I slammed my fists down on the podium in front of me.**

 

Urogataya: No, that’s wrong! It couldn’t have been him.

 

Ando: Damn, why does this keep happenin’ every time it seems like we’re goin’ somewhere?

 

Urogataya: You said it yourself, Watanabe-kun. Only one table got knocked over!

 

Urogataya: I remember you saying during the investigation, [deepens her voice in an impression] “it probably means that whoever pushed over the table didn’t use a lot of force, if only one fell over.”

 

Watanabe: [Monotone] Are you sure you’re not the Super High School Level Impersonator. That was pretty spot-on.   


Dazai: Are we seriously back to square one again?

 

Crane: Not necessarily. We know the murder weapon, and we have a general description of who might have done it. There’s still hope for us, probably!

 

Urogataya: …

 

**An idea began to form in my head.**

 

**It wasn’t an idea I liked, though. If this were true…**

 

**It’s still hard for me to accept the fact that one of my friends, one of these people who I trusted, is a murderer.**

 

**But if I want to save everyone else, I guess I have no choice. Ouch, this is going to get ugly fast…**

 

Urogataya: It’s… all coming together, now.

 

Irie: Hm?

 

Urogataya: What I’m saying is that I think I know who the murderer is, and it’s not just a blind guess like the accusations against Handa-san and Watanabe-kun.

 

Dazai: If you say it’s “Professor Plum, in the library, with the candelabra” I’ll throttle you.

 

Urogataya: Wh-what??

 

**I don’t think I understand the reference.**

 

Urogataya: E-erm, anyway…

 

Urogataya: It can only be you! You’re the culprit!

 

**I stood firm and gripped the podium with one hand, using the other to point out the newfound culprit. Despite what I’m about to do, I can’t help but feel determined and invigorated about this…**

  
  
**_CHOOSE A PERSON!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who do you think did it?? Who killed everyone's favorite girl?? (i dont think she was anyone's favorite girl honestly)  
> Next update is the end of Chapter 1 as a whole, including... an execution  
> ;^)  
> Also, free time event voting is open and will remain open for a while!! All votes for the culprit will be nullified, and there are two characters who are definitely getting free time events (I'll tell you who next time as to not spoil anything). you can vote by commenting or using this poll: http://www.strawpoll.me/11914484  
> As always, thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 1: Shop 'Til You Drop... Dead (Part 7)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry two days after christmas. your present is death  
> Also I've been super busy so I haven't had much time to draft new chapters. Really sorry abt that! I will say that I have two chapters after this one written so expect those sooner or later

**_[[AMIDA GOTO chosen]]_ **

  
  


Urogataya: It could only be you!

  
  


Urogataya: Goto-kun, I can’t help but notice that you’ve been acting really weird throughout this whole trial… something on your mind?

 

Goto: E-eh? Huh, I… 

 

Goto: I still can’t believe that Arakawa-chan is, like, dead, y’know? So I’ve been really out of it.

 

Goto: Sorry if it seemed like I wasn’t listening.

 

Urogataya: That’s not what I was referring to. You’ve been discrediting our ideas at every turn, but you don’t seem to have anything to suggest once they’re discredited.

 

Ando: You’re right. That’s th’ mark o’ someone that don’t work well in groups.

 

Tachibana: But he’s in a band, right? He has to work well in that group, or else people will throw tomatoes at him.

 

Watanabe: ...What kind of concerts have you been to. 

 

Giselle: Do not think “group work” is the problem here… 

 

Goto: H-hey, you can’t blame me! Investigating a crime scene and playing a song are on two entirely different levels of difficulty… 

 

Baisotei: But we’ve already narrowed the suspects down to people who were at the talent show rehearsal. 

 

Baisotei: And since Watanabe-san has proven his innocence and Tachibana-chan would not be strong enough to knock over a table, that leaves you, Crane-san, and Rowena-san.

 

Goto: Then why aren’t you accusing them, too? Wouldn’t that make more sense?

 

Nosaka: ...Admittedly, yeah. It would! Baisotei-chan, what the fuck?

 

Urogataya: Well, I can disprove one of those things. Crane-kun has an alibi.

 

Crane: Yeah, I do!

 

Crane: I went to the drugstore after the rehearsal, just to hang out until it was time for the actual show. I just wanted to do some reading, and they had some manga I liked available there.

 

Urogataya: I can support this! I walked in on him. He was in… the middle of the book, it looked as though he’d been there for a little while.

 

Goto: How do you know he’s not lying, though?! It would’ve been entirely possible for him to have killed Arakawa-chan, and then run to the drugstore as if nothing had happened!

 

Goto: After all, he’s a martial arts expert! He probably knows how to choke people!

 

Dazai: We literally just established that she wasn’t choked. Oh my god. 

 

Crane: Yeah, and you’re missing something important!

 

Crane: Capoeira doesn’t utilize any kind of chokeholds, nor does it usually involve using your opponent’s neck as a weak point.

 

Crane: Plus, it’s all about mobility and grace, not about immediately overpowering your opponent.

 

Crane: If you had been paying attention at the rehearsal today, Goto-kun, you would’ve known that, right!

 

Goto: -Hrk! 

 

Rowena: [Nods] It was indeed rather graceful. Had I known what would follow, however, I would have called it a  _ danse macabre _ … 

 

Handa: ...I don’t follow.

  
  


Murakami: We still don’t know what Rowena-chan was doing, though. She still could be the culprit!

 

Goto: E-exactly! 

 

Urogataya: She told me she was in one of the closets. 

 

Dazai: [Sniggers] It figures. 

 

Rowena: [Sighs] I am afraid that not a soul can confirm my alibi. Not a living soul, anyway. 

 

Urogataya: Do you mean that if Arakawa-chan was alive, she could’ve confirmed your alibi?!?

 

Rowena: I was referring to the souls of the damned, fragrant one. 

 

Urogataya: O-oh. 

 

Giselle: [Clasps hands together] How… how can prove it, then?

 

Ando: … 

 

Ando: Hey, Rowena-chi. Can you roll up your sleeve for a second?

 

Torisei: Wh-what are you doing? 

 

Nosaka: This got weird, real fast. 

 

Rowena: [Sighs] Fine. But bear in mind, simple one, I am not liable for anything you may see that shocks you.

 

Ando: ...Alright?

 

**Rowena wordlessly rolled up one of her sleeves, revealing her slender, delicate arm. The skin was so white that it seemed like it reflected every last bit of light that touched it. Had she ever been outside at any point in her life?**

 

**Ando, whose podium was next to hers, began feeling up her arm.**

 

Murakami: H-hey, what are you doing?! Is this some kinda fetish you have?

 

Baisotei: Can’t this wait until after the trial?

 

Ando: Just listen t’ me for a second.

 

Ando: There ain’t no muscle here. 

 

Ando: She wouldn’ta been able t’ knock Arakawa-chi over, much less a whole table… 

 

Rowena: Thus, my name is cleared. The only blackened that remains is Goto-san himself!

 

Goto: I… I… 

 

**Goto’s normally chill facial expression was replaced with one of pure horror. I could actually see wide eyes underneath his shaggy hair. He gripped the podium so hard that his knuckles looked like they might burst.**

 

**...Ew, that’s weird imagery.**

  
  


Goto: That isn’t right, though! There’s still a few things-

 

Handa: What “things”. 

 

Goto: Well, no one’s bothered with the cuts on her arms! How d’you explain that?

 

Goto: We know it wasn’t Handa-kun, but what’s sayin’ it couldn’t be someone else?? I don’t work with sharp shit! It could’ve been Dazai-san with her weird doll needles, or maybe one of Torisei-kun’s straightedges… who knows, maybe Murakami-kun’s necklace has a hidden blade in it!

 

Tachibana: Gyah?!? He’s talking nonsense!

 

Torisei: Wh-why me?

 

Murakami: That’s actually pretty badass. Remind me to upgrade it with a secret knife later, honestly.

 

Baisotei: [Sternly] Don’t.

 

Urogataya: Funny you should list those things, Goto-kun… considering almost all of your propositions make it seem like the item used to cut her arms would relate back to the talent of the culprit. Does that mean anything?

 

Handa: Come to think of it, there was something besides Arakawa-san’s pointe shoes at the crime scene, just lying there… Goto-san’s guitar, if I am correct!

 

Giselle: How can cut someone with guitar?

 

Irie: Are you for real? Even I think that may be a bit of a stretch… 

 

Dazai: You’d be surprised what people can do with household objects. 

 

Urogataya: I think I have an idea.

 

Irie: Out with it, then.

 

Urogataya: One string on the guitar was missing. Do you think that means anything?

 

Nosaka: Maybe a guitar solo was too intense and it literally murdered Arakawa-chan. 

 

Watanabe: What a way to go.

 

Goto: I keep telling you, it wasn’t me! It wasn’t me at all!

 

Rowena: … 

 

Rowena: ...Curses. I think I may have discovered the dastardly plot.

 

Irie: You don’t need to set up anything you say, you know. Just say it. 

 

Rowena:  _ Audition _ , directed by Takashi Miike in 1999… a horror classic, in spite of how atrocious I find the scenes depicted in it. At a certain part of the story, Asami Yamazaki uses piano wire to amputate the foot of Shigeharu Aoyama.

 

Tachibana: [Shudders] ew… 

 

Murakami: That was a fuckton of names. 

 

Goto: St-stop spouting movie trivia and fucking  _ help _ me! I didn’t do it! I couldn’t have done it!

 

Urogataya: I think I see what she’s saying!

 

Urogataya: The culprit used the guitar string to cut Arakawa-chan’s arms up. If you use enough pressure, you can cut through things with wire!

 

Urogataya: Including human flesh. Ew.

 

Goto: Hey! If I did it, don’t you think I would’ve used something else? I would’ve framed someone using something related to  _ their  _ talent! Just like the fucking culprit is trying to do to me!

 

Goto: If you’re all so smart, tell me that!

 

Crane: Hueh?? His personality changed… 

 

Goto: You think you’re all so smart because you use big words and all that, but you can’t see through the obvious holes in your theories! It’s fucking dumb!

 

**Urgh, this is getting harder and harder… it seems like he’s starting to break, though! I just need to push through this a little longer!**

 

Goto: I didn’t break my own guitar to kill her and I didn’t take her ring and I didn’t do anything! Because I’m a good person! Unlike the rest of you!

 

Irie: [Something dawns on her. She rests her hands on the podium]

 

Irie: It is entirely possible that Goto-san used his guitar because he expected us to think that “no, it’s too obvious”. He keeps going on about how we all think we’re so intelligent… so I can see that as a potential theory. 

 

Goto: Aa-- aaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!! FUCKFUCKFUCK!! 

 

Baisotei: Can we count that as a confession?

 

Handa: How pathetic.

 

Goto: I didn’t do it, though!

 

Goto: You’re all ganging up on me because you think I’m dumb.

 

Goto: Everyone thinks I’m dumb!

 

Goto: Shut up, shut up!!

 

Goto: I- I…

 

Goto: GRAAAAAHHHHH!!

 

Goto: Well, riddle me this! How the fuck did I lure Arakawa-chan back into the Food Court if I did it?!?! If you’re all so smart, you should be able to tell me that much!! 

 

**It’s all coming together now! This is the penultimate moment of the trial, I can tell. He’s getting really aggressive, but I just have to remain steadfast… I just hope that my theory is correct and I don’t muck this up.**

 

**...Wait.**

 

**What was it… he said back there?**

  
  


Urogataya: Goto-kun…

 

Urogataya: No one brought up… that Arakawa-chan’s ring was missing… 

 

Crane: Wait, her what?

 

Tachibana: I never really noticed that she wore a ring! It must have been really plain… 

 

Goto: Wh-when did I mention that, eh?!?!

 

Urogataya: You just did. 

 

Urogataya: “I didn’t take her ring.”

 

Urogataya: I was the only one who examined her hands during the investigation, as far as I could tell. How would you know about that, if you weren’t the killer?

 

Goto: …………….

 

Goto: ………………….

 

Goto: God, just… shut the fuck up… I… 

 

Goto: It… uh… 

 

Murakami: Oh my god, did we just do it? I think we did it.

 

Goto: [Slumps over]

 

Goto: You’re all so cruel… so mean… why would you betray one of your friends like that? 

 

Baisotei: [Angry] I could ask you the same question. Frankly, I’m ashamed of you. Turn out your pockets.

 

Goto: You can’t prove anything… 

 

**With that, he turned out his pants pockets, and - they were completely empty?**

 

Giselle: Huh?? Makes no sense… 

 

Goto: [Grins sickly] Y-you see? You can’t prove anything. I don’t have it! You wasted all that time for nothing! And now what? 

 

Ando: This ain’t possible. 

 

Watanabe: Hm.

 

**There had to be something. The accusation against him is completely solid! There’s gotta be something else that I’m not getting!**

 

**Before I could think about it, though… Tachibana spoke up.**

 

Tachibana: I’ve dabbled in a little bit of sewing and clothing design myself, and Goto-kun’s shorts don’t look like they could have a secret pocket. So it’s not like he could be hiding it from us in his pants.

 

Dazai: Gross. 

 

Goto: [Weary smile] Thanks, Tachibana-chan… 

 

Tachibana: But there’s still one thing.

 

Tachibana: Goto-kun! Please remove your flannel for us!

 

**I had almost forgotten about the jacket that he wore tied around his waist. Evidently, everyone else had, too- murmurs broke out among them. Goto’s face was white as a sheet.**

 

Monokuma: [Bangs gavel] Order, order! If you’ve got something to say, share it with everyone. Otherwise, it’s no fun!

 

Irie: ...Well, Goto?

 

Goto: …………….

 

Goto: F...fine…

 

**He shoved his hands into the pockets on his flannel. When he pulled them out, he was holding a simple silver band in the palm of his right hand.**

 

Murakami: And there you have it!

 

Baisotei: I am very, very disappointed in you.

  
  


Watanabe: Maybe we should do a full run-through of the events that led up to where we are now. I think it might be useful.

 

Irie: I don’t see why not.

 

Urogataya: Alright! I think I’ve got it.

 

Tachibana-chan gathered the people performing in the talent show in the Food Court after breakfast this morning. That group included Arakawa-chan and the culprit, along with Rowena-chan, Crane-kun, and Watanabe-kun. At some point during the rehearsal, the culprit managed to take Arakawa-chan’s ring off of her finger - Tachibana-chan said that she was muttering about having lost something between Watanabe-kun’s rehearsal and everyone leaving the rehearsal, so I can assume it was taken some time around then.

 

While everyone left the Food Court, the culprit laid in wait - they had already set up what they needed to try and convince everyone that Handa-san had done the thing they were about to do. Just as they expected, Arakawa-chan returned to look for her ring. This was exactly what the culprit wanted. In a fit of passion, they assaulted Arakawa-chan! A fight ensued, during which one of the stage tables was knocked over. Arakawa-chan must have been stronger than the culprit expected, though. In order to shut her up, they ripped a lace off of one of the pointe shoes that she had left there, and strangled her to death with it.

 

When she was dead, the culprit began to put the final touches on their plan. They ripped a string off of their own guitar, and used it to make cuts in Arakawa-chan’s arms. This was meant to confuse everyone else, especially after Handa-kun’s tirade earlier today, into thinking that Handa was the culprit. They also expected that everyone else would overanalyze the crime scene, so that they would be safe from judgement. 

 

Urogataya: And that culprit… was Amida Goto, the Super High School Level Bassist!

  
  


Goto: ………….

 

Tachibana: Goto-kun… why? Why did you do it?

 

Monokuma: Hey, hey! It’s time for the vote now! We can discuss motivations and all that juicy stuff later, alright!

 

Monokuma: There’s a screen on your podium. Please select the person you think is the murderer! 

 

Monokuma: Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? It’s time to find out!

 

**So that was a trial… I managed to get through it unscathed, but…**

 

**I still can’t believe that he did it. I trusted him, I’m pretty sure everyone at least had some degree of trust in him…**

 

**Four rows of crudely drawn faces popped up on the screen. Arakawa’s was already greyed out. The phrase “PICK A CULPRIT!” was written below in pink bubble letters. This felt so surreal that I had to take a moment before I did anything. I noticed some people tap their screens without hesitation - Baisotei, Handa, Dazai, and Murakami - while the meeker members of our group, like Torisei and Giselle, took a few seconds. I couldn’t tell who Goto voted for, but I’d like to think he at least had the dignity to vote for himself.**

 

**Monokuma pressed a button on the side of the chair he was sitting on, and a graphic of a slot machine appeared on one of the courtroom walls. He pressed the button again, and the slots began to spin - I noticed that they also included the crudely drawn faces in place of names. The slots slowly came to a complete stop, and all three displayed the image of Goto’s face.**

 

**The word “GUILTY!” flashed on top of the machine, and a jaunty little jingle played as imaginary confetti rained down.**

 

**_CLASS TRIAL END_ **

  
  


**We… we just sentenced a classmate to death.**

 

**While I was glad that I was still standing, I was feeling probably the worst I had ever felt in my life.**

 

Monokuma: You all selected… erm, Amberly Gotye as the culprit. And guess what? You were right!

 

Murakami: You didn’t even get his name correct… 

 

Handa: He doesn’t deserve to be called by his real name! He’s a filthy degenerate with no redeeming qualities.

 

Baisotei: Handa. That’s enough.

 

Crane: Why did you do it, Goto-kun? Did you really have to-

 

Goto: Yeah. I did.

 

Goto: Because some people are terrible at leading!

 

Giselle: ...Ah?

 

Goto: I overheard Baisotei-chan and Arakawa-chan talking last night. They were gonna put in place some sort of hierarchy!

 

**Everyone looked over at Baisotei, who looked on with an unreadable expression.**

 

Goto: I didn’t get the details, but… do you know who gets put at the bottom of those? Dumb ass fucks like me!

 

Goto: So I had to do it. I had to do it before they fucked me over.

 

Goto: While Watanabe-kun was practicing his weird bench pressing thing, I took the ring right off her finger. We were next to each other and she wasn’t paying attention, it was just so easy…

 

Goto: And then she came back, and I… I… 

 

Goto: Fuck! 

  
  


[FLASHBACK]

 

[The scene is the Food Court. Goto leans against a table, an unreadable expression on his face. Arakawa enters.]

 

Arakawa: ...Oi, Goto-san. What’re you doing back here? Practice is over, already.

 

Goto: Dude, I could ask you the same thing.

 

Arakawa: [Scratches the back of her neck] I left my shoes here, along with something else. Something important to me.

 

Goto: [Smugly] Looking for this?

 

[Goto pulls out the ring. Arakawa’s eyes widen.]

 

Arakawa: How did you… never mind. Give it back.

 

Goto: Oh, I’ll give it back. I just want you to explain why you and Baisotei-chan are tryin’ to fuck me over.

 

Arakawa: Hm?

 

Goto: Both of you… you think you’re so high and mighty. Trying to collectivize everyone, or something… that’s total bullshit! 

 

Arakawa: I don’t think you understand anything.

 

Goto: Sh-shut the fuck up! That’s what everyone says! I don’t care anymore!

 

Arakawa: Goto-san, what-

 

[The camera pans away from the scene. A bunch of thudding noises can be heard, interspersed with the sounds of struggling. There’s a ripping noise, followed by someone choking. The footage cuts out.]

 

[END FLASHBACK] 

  
  


Goto: … From there, I realized that I’d fucked up big time. I decided to frame Handa-san, ‘cause no one really trusts him.

 

Goto: I had no idea ‘bout the Monokuma File, though. I thought everyone would think the cuts were the cause of death. 

 

Goto: Gaha… stupid me, right?

 

Handa: You’re an insolent bastard. 

 

Baisotei: [Smiles wearily] You misunderstood me, Goto-san. We were trying to figure out how we could live long-term here, and were trying to determine who might be able to do what. [Pales] This is… all my fault… Oh god.

 

Goto: That wasn’t the only thing, though.

 

Irie: Hm?

 

Goto: Monokuma’s motive! If two years have really passed, what’s happened to my band? What’s happened to my bandmates, and my manager, and-

 

Goto: Does anyone outside even know who I am anymore?

 

Nosaka: Hold up, hold th’ FUCK up! You’re sayin’ this was all so you could see if teenage girls still wanted t’ fuck you!

 

Dazai: [Chuckles] You’re despicable. 

 

Goto: ……….

 

Goto: Ah, now I feel smart.

 

Goto: Because… you wouldn’t understand, even if I told you.

 

Irie: Tch.

 

**Despite myself, I do feel bad for him. It seems like he had some sort of complex about his own intelligence, and that was what led to his downfall… I didn’t want to say anything, though, and held my tongue.**

 

Ando: So, what now?

 

Monokuma: Of course you’ve forgotten! That makes me sad, this is my favorite part of the whole trial~

 

**What is he talking a- Oh no. Ohhhhhhh noooooooo.**

 

Monokuma: It’s time for the execution!

 

Crane: YOU WEREN’T KIDDING???

 

Goto: N-no… no… I can’t… 

 

Monokuma: There’s two things I never kid about: finances and executions!

 

Tachibana: Does he really deserve to die, though??   
  


Handa: Yes.

 

Dazai: Yeah.

 

Watanabe: I dunno. 

 

Baisotei: ………….

 

Goto: G-g-guys… I’m sorry… please help me!

 

Rowena: I wish you safe passage.

 

Urogataya: No… no!

 

Monokuma: Now, then! I’ve prepared an extra-special punishment for Amida Goto, our Super High School Level Bassist!

 

Goto: I can’t go like this, I can’t! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!

 

Monokuma: Let’s give it everything we’ve got!

 

Goto: Now I know things! It wasn’t worth it at all! I’m sorry, please forgive me!

 

Monokuma: Iiiiiiiit’s punishment time~!

 

Goto: IT CAN’T END LIKE THIS!!!!

  
  


**AMIDA GOTO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. COMMENCING EXECUTION!**

  
  


**_GUITAR ZERO_ **

  
  


**All we could do was watch from that point on. A door on the side of the courtroom open, and a shackle shot out from it. It clamped around Goto’s neck, and before he could even give us one more pleading glance, dragged him back into the door faster than anything I could have ever seen before. Monokuma pressed a button, and the screen that previously displayed the slot machine changed to a live feed of… somewhere.**

 

**The chain dragged Goto through the air until the shackle opened, dumping him on solid ground. As he staggered to his feet, he got a better look at the scenery around him - he was in a stadium, standing on a stage. Two giant speakers flanked him on either side, and a seemingly endless crowd of Monokumas stretched out in front of him.**

 

**One of the Monokumas tossed him an object, and he caught it before examining it. It was a peripheral shaped like a bass guitar, like someone might use in a video game. There were a few buttons on its handle, each in a different color. A screen dropped down in front of him, displaying a series of differently colored notes cascading down the screen.**

 

**Hesitantly, Goto started to press the peripheral’s buttons in time with the notes, producing bass noises from the speakers. The crowd went wild. Goto almost smiled; it seemed to be going well! Maybe he wouldn’t die!**

 

**Then, he missed a note.**

 

**Faster than he could detect it, a dart soared out from somewhere over the audience and lodged itself in his arm. Goto winced in pain from the sudden tranquilizer, but continued to play.**

 

**Unfortunately for him, the effects of the tranquilizer set in fast. His playing was hindered by the sudden sluggishness of his arm. He missed more and more notes, and more and more tranquilizer darts from the audience pierced his arms and legs.**

 

**It got to the point where he completely lost function of his hands, and he let the peripheral slide out of his grip. The audience was quiet. Goto swayed, desperately trying to keep his own two feet planted firmly on the ground. The stadium was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop.**

 

**Suddenly, a groaning noise. The two speakers tipped over, first the left one, then the right. Amida Goto was crushed underneath until nothing remained of him but a bloody pulp.**

  
  


**He…**

 

**He was dead.**

 

**I almost felt like passing out again. What was that? What the FUCK was that?**

 

Nosaka: Sweet fuckin’ jesus! 

 

Irie: Ohhh, my god. He’s dead. 

 

Crane: It… it happened so fast… 

 

Giselle: [Sobbing desperately]

 

**I heard Handa retching behind me. Everyone was completely shocked. Not even Murakami had a snarky remark to break up the tension.**

 

Tachibana: O-oh, god… oh, god… 

 

Torisei: S-so…

 

Torisei: What do we do now?

 

Irie: We go back up to the mall. And we learn from Goto-san’s mistakes. 

 

Crane: Y-yeah, we have to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. After all, if it does, then their deaths would have been for nothing!

 

Urogataya: Funny you should say that… I was thinking before the trial. That if we didn’t find Arakawa-chan’s murderer, then her death would’ve been in vain… 

 

Urogataya: I still don’t feel better about it.

 

Ando: We’re strong ‘nough to handle this, right? We can keep livin’. 

 

Ando: What d'ya say, Baisotei-chan?

 

Baisotei: [Quietly] Huh? ...Sure. 

 

Handa: Hmph. 

 

Monokuma: Listen, I know you all are pretending that you’re not internally rotting right now by spouting all that inspirational drivel, but the trial’s over! Scram, kiddos! Back into the elevator with ye!

 

**Everyone began to grumble, but we all obliged, squeezing ourselves back into the round elevator. It slowly began its ascent.**

 

**Where did we all go wrong, I wonder?**

 

**The ride up was as silent as the ride down, at first. No one was sure what to say to one another anymore. If there was any sense of community to begin with, it sure wasn’t present anymore.**

 

**Nosaka let out a burp, which broke up the tension at least a little.**

 

Crane: [Snorts]

 

Dazai: What are you, ten?

 

Irie: So juvenile… 

 

Nosaka: They call me the icebreaker, ‘cause shit like this always happens when it gets quiet and I’m around!

 

Watanabe: No one calls you that.

 

Tachibana: I dunno if this is up for debate, but… I think we should continue the morning meetings! It’d probably still be a good idea, right?

 

Rowena: A gathering… I don’t see why not. Perhaps we can hold a seance. 

 

Torisei: T-too soon… 

 

**I noticed that Baisotei had been completely and uncharacteristically silent ever since we got on the elevator. Clearly, this had been really hard on her - she had appointed herself leader, and a plan she had had caused one of our number to kill another. While her policies might have been divisive, it was hard for me not to feel bad for her.**

 

**I gave her a reassuring shoulder pat, and she stiffened.**

  
  


**Just then, the elevator creaked to a stop, and opened up on the now-familiar mall scenery. We all spilled out, eager to get out of the cramped space.**

 

Giselle: [Yawns] Am… exhausted. Going to bed.  _ Gute Nacht! _

 

Watanabe: Sounds like a plan. 

 

**With that, everyone shuffled back to their dorms. We muttered goodnights to one another, but no one tried to reassure anyone else about how this was going to turn out. I entered my room, making sure to lock the door behind me, and sunk down on the floor against the wall.**

 

**What… what am I supposed to do now? Why don’t I-**

 

Monokuma: [Appears] Surprise!

 

Urogataya: GYYYYYAAAAAHHHH??!!???!?!?!??!!

 

Urogataya: What are you doing here?? Get out of my room!

 

Monokuma: Sheesh, don’t get your panties in a twist! I was just dropping off some things.

 

Monokuma: Normally, when I do this whole “killing game” thing, there’s one perfectly ordinary student who takes it upon themself to keep mementos of the dead. No one picked up anything from the courtroom, so I’ve decided it’s going to be you!

 

Urogataya: Just go away, please? I’ll do anything. Just. Leave.

 

Monokuma: All right, all right! I’ll leave it by the door, then. So long, toots!

 

**When I looked up again, he was gone, but two new things were scattered by the door: Arakawa’s silver ring, and Goto’s flannel. I felt like crying.**

 

**Getting into my bed, I hugged the flannel tight to my chest like it meant the world to me. We would be able to get back to how we were before, wouldn’t we? It would be easy. This killing had brought us together and tested us, and now everyone would get along. It would be perfect.**

 

**As I drifted off into the murky blackness of sleep, I had no idea how futile my hope was.**

  
  


**_CHAPTER 1: SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP... DEAD_ **

 

**_END_ **

  
**_14 Students Remain_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, oops!  
> So Trixielulamoon323 got most of it right. kudos to you. i guess i gotta make things harder next time.  
> So, new developments + an execution! everyone loves that shit right
> 
> Do you wanna know more about Arakawa and Goto? Of course you do. Their character design notes can be found here: http://pastebin.com/f5j991Q2  
> Also, reminder that free time events are still open for voting! Goto can no longer be chosen, and Watanabe and Tachibana are already on tap for free time events at the behest of a friend. You can vote here: http://www.strawpoll.me/11914484  
> As always, thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA UH i have no excuse for how long this one took and i apologize. school has started back up for me and while i'll try to get these chapters up fairly regularly idk if i can do it weekly anymore
> 
> Oh! By the way, the dr:doa saga takes place in between the events of dr1 and sdr2. if you see anything weird, it's probably just a reference and holds little bearing in the story itself. What exactly this new info means is up to you.

**_CHAPTER 2: GIVING RISE TO THE GOLEM_ **

 

**_START_ **

 

**_BUY ONE GET ONE FREE: (AB)NORMAL DAYS_ **

  
  


**Gh… uh…**

 

**Mmhm…**

 

**H-huh?**

 

**Slowly but surely, I opened my eyes. I don’t know what I expected to see, but - I was still in my dorm, still holding Goto’s flannel like my life depended on it.**

 

**Wait, Goto-**

 

**Quickly, I discarded the jacket and shoved it under my bed. Goto was a murderer. I shouldn’t be mourning him - after all, he’s the one who killed Arakawa. But his brutal execution kept playing over and over again in my memory. I began to shiver, even though the temperature in my room remained the same.**

  
  


**There was a knock at the door, and I jolted upright. Who could it be at this hour? The morning announcement hadn’t even gone off yet…**

 

**Stretching and yawning, I made my way over and pulled it open. Baisotei was standing there, looking as if she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in weeks.**

 

Baisotei: Good morning, Urogataya-san.

 

Urogataya: Urgh… mornin’. What’re you doing up so early?

 

Baisotei: Early…? 

 

Baisotei: It’s 11 AM, Urogataya-san. You overslept.

 

**...Wow, really? I guess that’s why I didn’t hear the morning announcement. It’s weird to think that I slept so soundly after what happened last night. I really hoped I wasn’t getting desensitized to death.**

 

Urogataya: So you came to get me as one of your leaderly duties? Aw, Baisotei-chan, that’s so nice of you-

 

Baisotei: [Grits teeth] I am not so sure I can be considered a leader anymore. Especially after my failure last night.

 

Baisotei: But anyway, Monokuma showed up to breakfast. He spouted a bunch of nonsense and made everyone angry, but he also told us that a “whole new world” has opened up for us.

 

Urogataya: A what?

 

Baisotei: [Weary smile] I believe he means that the second floor has opened up. I passed the escalator this morning, and the electric fence was gone. I think it might be beneficial to check it out, perhaps we can find an exit.

 

Baisotei: Everyone’s gone on ahead already. If you want, you can get ready and meet us up there.

 

Urogataya: Ah, alright! Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.

 

Baisotei: [Nods] Of course.

 

**With that, she shut the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts. A new area? Was this the reward that Monokuma mentioned at the beginning of the class trial? I mean, it had to be, since he clearly wasn’t planning on letting us out anytime soon.**

 

**I quickly put on clean clothes, did my hair, and put on some light makeup before heading out the door. The scenery outside the dorm hall was strangely empty, but was permeated by a new sound - the rumble of an escalator. So it was true, then! I quickly ran over to the foot of the escalator to see that the fence was indeed gone. I couldn’t get a really good look at what was up there, but at least it was accessible.**

 

**Crane was waiting at the bottom. When he saw me, a grin spread across his face.**

 

Crane: Mornin’, Urogataya-chan!

 

Urogataya: Good morning! Why aren’t you upstairs with everyone else? That’s where they are, right?

 

Crane: [Nods] Yep! I went and checked it out already, there’s some pretty interesting stuff up there - it seems like it’ll be harder to get bored with most of the stuff they’ve got.

 

Urogataya: What’re you doing down here, though?

 

Crane: [Shrugs] I dunno. Lately, I’ve kind of wanted to be alone… I keep expecting to look up and see Arakawa-chan and Goto-kun just hanging out with everyone else, y’know? But they…

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah, I think I understand. 

 

Urogataya: I… miss them too. 

 

Crane: … 

 

Crane: … Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Here, this is for you.

 

**Crane tossed something to me, and I managed to catch it in my hands. It was… a bread roll? It smelled exceptionally good, though.**

 

Crane: You missed breakfast, so I thought you might be hungry. Plus, Handa-kun said to give it to you.

 

Urogataya: Handa-san? But I thought he wasn’t cooking for us anymore, after he had that hissy fit.

 

Crane: [Shrugs] I dunno, maybe he just felt bad? 

 

Crane: Man, that’s a thought. Handa-kun feeling bad about something… 

 

Crane: Anyway, I think you should probably go check out what’s up there. There’s some pretty cool stuff!

 

Urogataya: You’re not coming?

 

Crane: [Shrugs] I just need some alone time to think for a bit, I guess. 

 

Urogataya: Alright, then. I’ll see you around, Crane-kun!

 

Crane: [Nods] Bye!

  
  


**Hesitantly, I stepped onto the escalator and began my ascent. I absentmindedly stuffed the bread in my mouth… hey, it’s actually really good! I might have to thank Handa later.**

 

**I wasn’t sure what awaited me up there, but I stood my ground firmly on the escalator until it brought me to solid ground. I took a moment to survey my newfound surroundings.**

 

**This floor also had a sky painted onto its ceiling, but instead of the bluish-purple sky with light clouds that the first floor had, it was clear and light blue. A soft glow emanated from it, making it seem more like daytime. I noticed that there was also another escalator right next to the one I had just taken, but it was blocked by the same fence that had prevented me from going up to this floor initially. Maybe another time, then.**

 

**Just then, I noticed something. Was that-**

 

**As fast as I could, I ran over to a set of massive double doors and tried to pull them open, but to no avail. They were locked. Whoever had put us here had anticipated that we might try to escape if we saw the doors… damn. It couldn’t be that easy, could it?**

 

**Torisei was standing near a sign by the door, squinting at it. I decided to talk to him, just to see what he was doing.**

 

Urogataya: Yo, what’s up?

 

Torisei: G-GYAHHH!

 

**...Oops.**

 

Torisei: S-sorry, you just startled me… I was kind of deep in concentration. 

 

Urogataya: With the sign?

 

Torisei: Yeah! See?

 

**I looked to where he was pointing… only to find that most of the sign was incomprehensible. Most of it was blacked out, and the parts that weren’t blacked out weren’t in a language I could read.**

 

Urogataya: No, not really.

 

Torisei: [Gentle smile] The parts I can read seem to be English, but there aren’t that many parts I can read. It says that we’re in the… uh… 

 

Torisei: The “-o------- -----a- Mall”. 

 

Urogataya: Why would this be censored? That’s weird. If you’re gonna censor something, at least censor the whole thing.

 

Torisei: Y-yeah. And these are maps… I think they’re of the first floor and of this floor. Theoretically, there should be ones of other floors, but…

 

**He gestured vaguely in the direction of the sign. A majority of it had been scribbled out with black marker - no doubt by Monokuma, judging by how messy it was.**

 

Torisei: They’re not legible anymore. But I would assume that th-there’s a few more floors, and that this is the ground one. The one we were on must have b-been below ground.

 

**That seemed weird… so were we in the mall’s basement or something? Or was there another basement below the floor we were on? This was getting confusing, so I thanked him and decided to walk around before my head exploded from overthinking.**

  
  


**Like the floor before, most of the stores were chained off and inaccessible. A lot of them looked like they had been thoroughly cleaned out, so I didn’t really bother with them. In place of the canal from the bottom floor - we had really underutilized that, to be honest - there was a garden with a few Roman-style sculptures of underdressed marble people peppered about.**

 

**Ando was reclining on a bench in the middle of the area, looking pretty relaxed. He smiled when he saw me.**

 

Ando: Hey. Ain’t these flowers nice?

 

Urogataya: Yeah, they are! I mean, my favorites are orchids, but these are nice t-

 

Ando: They’re fake.

 

Urogataya: H-huh? How can you tell?

 

Ando: I felt ‘em earlier. They’re all plastic. I think they’re sprayed wit’ perfume or somethin’ to make ‘em smell good. 

 

Ando: So if we run outta food, these are no use.

 

**… Was he seriously considering eating the flowers if it came down to that? I brushed that thought aside for the moment.**

 

Urogataya: Good to know, I guess. But why?

 

Ando: [Shrugs] Call it intuition, but I think that maintainin’ flowers in a shoppin’ mall would be too time consumin’. You’d hafta replace ‘em a lot. 

 

Urogataya: I guess that makes sense, yeah.

 

Ando: By th’ by, there’s a place up here I think y’ might like. I ain’t spoilin’ the surprise, but you’ll know it when ya see it!

 

Urogataya: Okay, thanks!

  
  


**From what I could tell, there were two areas open on the right side of the floor and two on the left. I decided to check out the right one first, and ducked into the first open doorway.**

 

**It smelled like sweat. Ew.**

 

**The smell did make more sense to me once I looked around the room, though. One wall of the room was mirrored, and the other two were covered by gymnastics mats. Exercise equipment was scattered about the room, ranging from simple weights to more complex machines like treadmills and elliptical bikes. A bunch of weird sports posters lined the walls - one showed a tanned girl in the middle of a gymnastics routine, one depicted a green-haired man in boxing gloves, and another was a picture of a short person in a horned beanie smugly leaning up against a tennis net.**

 

**I… wasn’t really sure what any of them were supposed to communicate, but I suppose they made me feel more invigorated.**

 

**There were two people in the room: Watanabe was sitting on a weight bench. He had unbuttoned the top of his gakuran, revealing a white wifebeater underneath. A hand rested on his chin as he watched Nosaka trying to lift a ridiculously huge kettlebell with all his strength. Nosaka was sweating profusely, and it looked like his eyes might pop out of his head.**

 

Watanabe: Are you done yet?

 

Nosaka: N-not a ch-chance, old man! I gotta… I gotta!

 

Watanabe: We’re literally the same age. 

 

Nosaka: Kh…. I’m gonna do it!

 

Urogataya: What’re you doing?

 

Watanabe: We made a bet. There’s no prize, he just wanted to prove to me that he was strong or something. 

 

Nosaka: Hey, you d-dared me to! Nngh…

 

Watanabe: You literally said “Hey, wouldn’t it be wild if I tried to lift this,” and I said “Probably not,” and you did it anyway. 

 

Nosaka: O-oh yeah???? I b-bet this is r...rigged! You wouldn’t be able to lift… this!

 

**Without a word, Watanabe walked over and picked up the kettlebell - and Nosaka - with minimal effort.**

 

Nosaka: ...Show off. 

 

Urogataya: I guess this is good for you, Watanabe-kun! Weren't you just saying you were getting bored not doing anything?

 

Watanabe: [Nods] Yeah, pretty much. They don't have a rock wall, but I'll make do. 

 

Watanabe: I’d invite you to work out with me sometime, but I don't think you'd survive it. 

 

**What’s that supposed to mean…?**

 

Nosaka: H-hey, put me down already! 

 

Watanabe: Sorry. [Puts Nosaka down] 

 

**I didn't really have anything else to do in the gym, so I left the two boys to their own devices while I explored the rest of the floor.**

  
  


**There was only one other store on the right side. Fortunately, this one didn't smell. Towering bookshelves filled the room, creating labyrinthine passageways throughout. All the shelves were stocked with piles of books. A few tables, chairs, and couches were positioned about the center of the room, forming a little cozy reading area.**

 

**I was surprised to see Giselle plopped on a beanbag chair, a book in hand.**

 

Urogataya: Giselle-chan! You can read Japanese?

 

Giselle: [Smiles] Salutations, Rumi, but is not Japanese. 

 

**She held up the book, allowing me to see the cover and the blurb. I couldn't read them, though - they were written in a different language entirely.**

 

Urogataya: Ehem… huh?

 

Giselle: It’s German! This bookstore has an… extension foreign language section. 

 

Urogataya: I think you mean extensive. 

 

Giselle: [Claps her hands together] Ah! Yes! 

 

Giselle: Is an interesting story. About a cult! A  _ krimi _ \- erm, a murder mystery. 

 

Urogataya: E-eh? I didn't think you would like those kind of stories… 

 

Giselle: My tastes, they are wide. I like variety of things! 

 

Giselle: My preferred genre is fantasy, though. 

 

Giselle: Will have to check back later for those.

 

Urogataya: That's what I would've thought you’d like, to be honest. 

 

**I also found Irie examining a wide display of stationery in the corner of the bookstore. When she saw me, she gave me a polite nod.**

 

Irie: I must say, I vastly prefer the structure of this floor over the previous one. 

 

Urogataya: Huh? They look kind of the same, I think…

 

Irie: [Scoffs] That's what you may think, but you aren't as qualified to talk about it as I am. The previous floor was hopelessly gaudy, this one is much better. 

 

**Okay, then…**

 

Irie: In fact, it’s inspiring me to make some designs. It's a good thing I found this area, then. 

 

Urogataya: Yeah, those pens look fancy.

 

Irie: For once, you are correct. 

 

Urogataya: “For once”?

 

Irie: These are fountain pens. They have nibs, so they're very expensive. 

 

Irie: I haven't been this inspired in a while, so I think I might do some drawings today. 

 

Urogataya: Say, do you draw anything other than buildings? 

 

Irie: …….

 

Irie: That’s personal. 

 

Urogataya: Alright, then. I’m not one to pry.

 

Irie: Hmph. 

 

**I was about to leave the area when something caught my eye - a solitary book sitting on one of the tables. It was in Japanese, and its cover depicted a large building and a certain familiar emblem. Squinting, I picked it up to get a better look at it.**

 

**_A History of Hope’s Peak Academy_ ** **, written by Iskander Sala. Huh?**

 

Urogataya: Hey, did either of you leave this here?

 

Irie: [Shakes head] No, and I don’t believe anyone else did, either. It was lying there when I arrived, but it didn’t particularly interest me.

 

Giselle: Maybe was left there by  _ der Bär _ ?

 

Urogataya: Huh?

 

Giselle: By Monokuma.

 

Irie: The author doesn’t sound particularly Japanese, but it’s written in Japanese… 

 

Giselle: Oh, I know! Sala, he is a Romanian  _ Gelehrten… _ erm, scholar. Maybe taught at Hope’s Peak?

 

Irie: Well, whatever it is, I’m not touching it.

 

Urogataya: Why not?

 

Irie: Clearly, it’s some sort of trap left by the mastermind for us to find. I don’t trust it one bit.

 

Urogataya: Left by the… what?

 

Irie: Well, clearly there’s some kind of mastermind. Someone who put us all here for whatever reason. Things like this don’t just happen on their own, right?

 

Urogataya: I guess that makes sense, Irie-chan.

 

Monokuma: I couldn’t agree more!

 

Giselle: Yes, yes.

 

**…………………….**

 

Urogataya: Wh-what the hell?! What are you doing here?

 

Monokuma: Well, I know when I’m being talked about! Whenever someone mentions my name, I start vibrating!

 

Irie: … Ew.

 

Giselle:  _ Das ist sehr grob… _

 

Monokuma: Get your minds out of the gutter!

 

Urogataya: Why are you here, then? Aside from the… whatever it was you just mentioned. 

 

Monokuma: Well, I’m just here to confirm your statements!

 

Monokuma: First of all, I did leave the book there for you. It’s kind of a snore, though. Think of it as like when one of your teachers made you read a literary classic even though you would’ve rather puked your guts out!

 

Urogataya: So, it’s not booby trapped, then.

 

Monokuma: Hell no! I keep telling you. If I wanted to kill any of you myself, I would have done it already! Besides, none of you have broken any rules yet, so there’s no need for me to. 

 

Monokuma: And your second statement, Irie-chan… is absolutely correct!

 

Monokuma: Though I do have enough verve and personality to get my own cable TV spin-off series, I  _ am _ currently following orders given to me by someone else. I have to follow the Three Laws of Robotics, after all!

 

Irie: That’s not even what the Three Laws of Robotics are. You only got one right out of three, and you’re in blatant violation of the rest at any given moment. 

 

Urogataya: Can you at least tell us who you’re working for?

 

Monokuma: That’s something that you shouldn’t ask! Deep in the back of your mind, you know I’m gonna be vague about it, so why bother?

 

**Shit, he was right.**

 

Monokuma: However, I will give you that answer, since you  _ did _ ask. But what’s the magic word?

 

Urogataya: ...Erm, please?

 

Monokuma: Actually, it was “castration”, but that’s close enough.

 

Monokuma:  **_SHSL Despair_ ** , of course!

 

**…**

 

**What? I didn’t know what that was, but it still sent a chill down my spine…**

 

**I supposed that this was why he was always talking about despair, but who were they? And what did it mean to any of us?**

 

Irie: Elaborate.

 

Monokuma: Nope! I told you it was gonna be vague, after all.

 

Giselle: That is true…

 

Monokuma: Anyway, I’ve gotta do some construction work. See ya later!

 

Irie: Wait, what-

 

**And as quickly as he had come, he was gone. I was now about 60% more infuriated than I was when I first found the book. I supposed that I would have to look through it later, though. Considering how vague he had just been, for Monokuma to throw us a bone could mean something really big in the long run.**

 

Irie: What a disgusting animal.

 

Giselle: Agreed! 

 

Urogataya: I guess I’ll read this later. I’m kind of curious as to what’s in it, actually!

 

Irie: [Shrugs] It’s your funeral.

  
  


**After that rather odd exchange, I decided to check out the other side of the hall. Like the one I had looked at before, all the stores were chained off except for two. Something about the one closer to the escalator area was calling my name, although I couldn’t quite place it. Maybe it was the smell-**

 

**Wait, wait. I’d smelled that before. It was a smell that was so omnipresent in my life that I had barely noticed it before, but now that it had been gone I embraced it like an old friend.**

 

**I barreled towards the store, and my suspicions were proven correct.**

 

Urogataya: Makeup!!!!

 

**The left half of the store was indeed a makeup store. Various products filled the shelves, from cheapie nail polish to super-pricey eyeliner kits. There were several vanities, fancier than the one in my dorm, lining the wall. There was even a display of expensive perfumes! The whole scene was nearly enough to make me salivate, honestly, but the few shreds of self respect I had left told me to not do that.**

 

**Tachibana was looking through a few racks of nail polish. She gave me a wave when she saw me.**

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chan! Gawd, this place is, like, totally gnarly!

 

Urogataya: Gnarly?

 

Tachibana: I try out new slang every once in a while. I figured that it was time for a fresh change! 

 

Urogataya: I guess I can understand that. Still, the last thing I was expecting was a makeup store of this caliber in this place! If we weren't trapped in here, I'd be in heaven right now. 

 

Tachibana: Oh yeah, definitely!

 

Tachibana: Normally I'm the one hiring makeup artists to make over my brides, but I've dabbled in a little makeup magic myself. 

 

Tachibana: Man, it's been forever since I've given someone a makeover! I think the last time I can remember was my friend’s sleepover in eighth grade. 

 

**That** **_is_ ** **a long time ago, she really wasn't joking about that part…**

 

Urogataya: What do you have in mind, exactly?

 

Tachibana: How do you feel about chunky mascara and glitter body spray?

 

Urogataya: ……………….

 

Tachibana: Hey, I was kidding! 

 

Urogataya: Thank god, you kind of scared me for a minute there. 

 

Tachibana: [Makes a peace sign] Hee hee! 

  
  


**The right side of the store more resembled a hair salon than a makeup store. Several barbershop chairs were lined up in front of mirrors, and hairstyling equipment was scattered throughout. If there had ever been any hair on the floor, though, it had been entirely swept clean of it. Various razors and scissors were scattered about in front of the mirrors.**

 

**I had a weird vision of scissors slitting someone's neck for a second, and shuddered. Was Monokuma placing these things here so that we would kill each other with them, or was it just coincidence?**

 

**Handa was scrutinizing himself in one of the mirrors. I still hadn't thanked him for the bread, so I decided to strike up a conversation.**

 

Urogataya: Oy, Handa-kun!

 

Handa: [Raises his eyebrow]

 

Urogataya: Aah, sorry! Force of habit. Let me try again. 

 

Urogataya: Oy, Handa-san?

 

Handa: Yes? 

 

Urogataya: Thanks for the bread this morning. It was super nice of you to think of me, even though I wasn't there. 

 

Handa: You are mistaken. I am in no way “nice”. 

 

Urogataya: R-right…

 

Handa: Nevertheless…

 

Handa: You are welcome. 

 

Urogataya: What're you doing here? I wouldn't have pegged you as the type of guy to be into hair and makeup

 

Urogataya: Oh, I know! Do you lead a secret career in drag?

 

**I meant it as a joke, but Handa’s face flushed red as a tomato with anger. Oops.**

 

Handa: [Angry] I am  _ not  _ one such  _ degenerate _ ! 

 

Urogataya: I was just joking… 

 

Handa: [Calms down] I was thinking that I may need a shave, quite frankly. See?

 

**He pointed to his chin, but I wasn't really sure what I was meant to be looking at. It seemed pretty smooth and bare to me.**

 

**I didn't want to start arguing again, though, so I went along with it.**

 

Urogataya: Er, y-yep! You've got yourself a regular mountain man beard down there. 

 

Handa: I wouldn't go that far. 

 

Handa: It wouldn't make sense if I lost two years of my life and didn't grow any facial hair during the time.

 

**He's still really hung up on that “two years of lost memories” thing…**

 

**Wait, that sounds weird. Maybe I should be more hung up on it? Gah! I don't know anymore!**

 

Urogataya: I don't specialize in doing hair, but I do like hair salons. It makes me think of when I was little, because I would “go to work” with my Aunt Saemi. 

 

Urogataya: She would let me play hairdresser with my dolls in her salon while she did actual work. I was really little back then!

 

Handa: Can you… repeat that?

 

Urogataya: Um… I was really little back then?

 

Handa: Not that, you fool. You said your aunt’s name was Saemi?

 

Urogataya: Uh, yeah?

 

Handa: You don't mean Saemi Hyata, do you? Former Super High School Level Cosmetologist?

 

**Wait, wait, wait. How would he know anything about that? It seemed really weird that he would be asking about things like this. After all, he's an epicure, not a hairdresser. Still, I can't shake the feeling that maybe he's just had a revelation.**

 

**Knowing Handa, of course, it's likely that he won't want to share it.**

 

Urogataya: Yeah, that's the one. Why? 

 

Handa: [Arms crossed, looking off to the side] It is none of your concern. 

 

Urogataya: ……….

 

Handa: …………..

 

**Huh, weird. Desperate to escape the awkwardness of the conversation, I quickly walked out of the salon/makeup store.**

 

**I could feel Handa’s eyes boring into my back. Creepy.**

  
  


**Most of the floor had a clean, modern feeling to it, like stores in a mall that I might hang out at. The last store completely went against the atmosphere of the previous areas, however. Upon entering, I was immediately assaulted by an array of bright primary colors and cluttered shelves. The floor was that kind of carpet that usually only exists in bowling alleys. The whole place seemed more whimsical than anything else.**

 

**The fanciful feeling of the store was belied by the people hanging out there, though. Dazai was loitering around by a display of toys.**

 

Urogataya: You’d think that you’d be right at home in this place, Dazai-chan. Is there anything interesting here?

 

Dazai: [Scoffs] Nope. It's mostly junk. 

 

Dazai: Stuff meant for little kids with short attention spans. 

 

Urogataya: Well, it is a toy store after all…

 

Dazai: No shit. I was hoping they would at least maybe have a few decent-quality BJDs here, but of course I can't have anything I want. 

 

Urogataya: I don't think that's a case of the universe being against you, it's probably just that most toy stores don't stock that kind of thing. 

 

Dazai: [Sighs]

 

Dazai: The closest they have to dolls are these weird things in this display. 

 

**She gestured to the display she was standing in front of, and I got a closer look at it. Two types of toys were stocked there: it was mostly crammed full of Monokuma plushies, but there were a few figures that resembled tiny metal men. They each had a large yellow button on their chests.**

 

Dazai: [Grabs one of the figures] What even is this? 

 

Urogataya: I dunno, maybe try pressing the button and see what it does. 

 

Dazai: Why not, I guess. 

 

**With that, she jammed her finger on the button.**

 

Figure: [In a tinny, metallic voice] EAT WELL, SHIT WELL!

 

Dazai: …………….

 

Urogataya: ………….

 

Dazai: [Face clouded over] I’m keeping this. 

 

Urogataya: You… have fun with that… 

  
  


**Murakami was in another corner of the room, poking at an old-fashioned pinball machine. I decided to approach him, and he gave me his signature snide grin.**

 

Urogataya: Pinball, huh?

 

Murakami: Yep. I was hoping to find some video games or something, but this’ll do! 

 

Murakami: I may be more inclined to gambling, but I still like stuff like this. 

 

Urogataya: “Like this”?? What do you mean?

 

Murakami: Games of skill! I dunno a lot about pinball, but I like it because it’s challenging. Luck is a factor, it's a factor in everything after all, but it's a minor one here. 

 

Urogataya: Wow, I thought you would've passed it off as “nerdy” or something. 

 

Murakami: Don't get me wrong, it's nerdy as shit. But that kind of stuff is okay in moderation!

 

Murakami: [Does a peace sign] You're only a nerd if you devote your whole life to shit like this. 

 

Murakami: Before I got invited to Hope’s Peak, I heard about someone who got into it whose title was “Super High School Level Pinball Wizard”

 

Murakami: [Pensive] That’s a fuckin’ nerd right there. 

 

Urogataya: So who's a nerd here?

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] Technically, everyone's a nerd. They all specialize in shit. 

 

Murakami: I guess if I had to pick… me, Nosaka-kun, and Baisotei-chan aren't nerds. Even though I don't like Baisotei-chan much, her talent’s pretty badass. 

 

Urogataya: [Laughs] Hey, that means I'm a nerd!

 

Murakami: [Shakes fist mockingly] Haha, dweeb! I'm gonna shove you in a locker!

  
  


**And then there was a person who I was least expecting to see in the particularly loud environment. I had figured that Rowena would have been familiarizing herself with this floor’s storage closets or something, but she had plopped herself down in the toy store. She was digging through a pile, a determined look in her eye.**

 

Urogataya: Um, what’re you looking for? Haunted dolls?

 

Rowena: Do you believe I would tamper with such powerful forces, you insolent fool? No. I am looking for something else entirely. 

 

Rowena: Though some occult enthusiasts may argue that what I seek is more powerful… 

 

Urogataya: Uhhhhh. I’m not sure what you’re looking for now. I kind of halfway expected you to answer “yes” when I said that, but now the joke’s fallen even flatter than it would have if you had. 

 

Rowena: What?

 

Urogataya: Nothing.

 

Rowena: Ha-HAH! The great Rowena Christine St. Bathory has succeeded yet again! Behold!

 

**She held up a flat, dusty box. It was about the size of a standard board game box, but it was tan and covered with strange symbols. Compared to everything else in the store, it looked really old.**

 

Urogataya: And that is… Monopoly?

 

Rowena: No, fragrant one.

 

Rowena: This… ‘tis a ouija board.

 

Urogataya: I didn’t actually think those existed. I thought they were made up to be used in movies, or something.

 

Rowena: Well, consider yourself debunked!

 

Urogataya: What’re you planning to do with it, though?

 

Rowena: Is it not obvious? 

 

**What is she talking about?**

 

**Wait.**

 

Urogataya: You don’t- You don’t  _ actually _ mean… 

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] I do indeed actually mean. 

 

Rowena: I mean to contact our dearly departed classmates.

 

Urogataya: Why, though? Don’t you think it’s too soon for something like this?

 

Rowena: Fragrant one, I do not intend to do this right this moment. I need time to prepare, after all. 

 

Rowena: I believe that it would ease the souls of everyone here.

 

**Honestly, I think it might end up doing the opposite, but I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t need to make an enemy out of Rowena.**

 

Rowena: That is not my only reason, though. 

 

Urogataya: Hm?

 

Rowena: They say that one’s life flashes before their eyes before they die. Thusly, if we contact Arakawa-san or Goto-san, their spirit may be able to tell us something about our purloined school memories!

 

Urogataya: That’s… surprisingly good logic if you believe in things like that. 

 

Rowena: I am simply full of surprises. 

 

**She’s right about that, I guess.**

  
  


**The rest of the day passed without much event, really. Everyone was busy with exploring the new floor. It was honestly the closest thing to “fun” I’ve had since we arrived here - though it would have been a lot more fun if murder wasn’t a factor in this whole thing.**

 

**The body discovery and trial from last night still weighed heavy on my conscience. It was so strange - I kept looking up and expecting to see Arakawa reading in the bookstore or Goto shredding on one of the kiddie guitars from the toy store. There was a hole in my chest, it seemed. It made sense for me to be mourning for Arakawa, but why did I miss Goto almost as much? He was a murderer.**

 

**I don’t think he would have killed if the circumstances were different, though.**

 

**It was about an hour before the Night Time announcement, and I was heading back to the first floor. Tachibana had talked me into getting some snacks from the Food Court with her, and it seemed as though she had also roped Ando into it. He smiled shyly as we chattered on the way down the escalator.**

 

**Suddenly, the grin dropped from Ando’s face. It seemed as though he was concentrating on something.**

 

Ando: D’ya hear that?

 

Tachibana: Huh?

 

Ando: There’s some kinda nonsense goin’ on down there. I can hear rumblin’ and bangin’ noises.

 

Ando: It kinda sounds like the trial elevator, but that ain’t that loud. 

 

Urogataya: I don’t know what you’re talking- ohgodthat’sreallyloud. 

 

**It had seemed as though the sound had stopped for a moment before Ando noticed it, but it immediately started up again. It was so loud that I could practically feel the ground shaking from the soundwaves…**

 

Tachibana: OH YEAH! I CAN HEAR IT NOW!

 

Urogataya: WHAT?

 

Ando: SHE SAID SHE CAN HEAR IT NOW.

 

Urogataya: I THINK IT’S COMING FROM NEAR THE FOUNTAIN AREA, ACTUALLY!

 

Tachibana: THAT’S, LIKE, SO CONVENIENT! WE WERE GOING THERE ANYWAY!

 

Ando: I REALLY HOPE M’ EARDRUMS DON’T EXPLODE FROM THIS. 

 

**Holding our hands over our ears, we slowly made our way over the canal bridge and into the fountain area. What was waiting for us was a frankly bizarre sight.**

 

**Poles stuck out the the tiled floor in front of the fountain at awkward angles, pieces of yellow “DO NOT CROSS” tape stretched between them so that no one could enter. A few tiles on the floor were broken, and various tools were strewn about. Monokuma was going to town on a jackhammer, a small construction hat sitting haphazard over his ears.**

 

**Of course it was Monokuma. Didn’t he say something about construction work earlier?**

 

Urogataya: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

 

Monokuma: EH? WHAT?

 

Urogataya: I SAID WHAT ARE YOU DOING.

 

Monokuma: SORRY, CAN’T HEAR YOU!

 

Ando: TURN OFF YER HAMMER-THING! 

 

Monokuma: ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. FINE.

 

**He flipped a switch on the jackhammer, and blissful quiet filled the area again.**

 

Monokuma: What do you want? I’m a very busy bear, you know.

 

Tachibana: Are you, like, redecorating?

 

Monokuma: Of course not! I have a reason that I’m doing this.

 

Monokuma: It’s part of your next motive~!

 

Ando: Again with those? Seems like you’re gettin’ it out quicker than last time… 

 

Monokuma: Well, this one’s a doozy! You’re all gonna love it. And by love, I mean hate, but someone’s gonna kill over it anyway?

 

Tachibana: Is the motive that if no one murders, you’ll destroy the mall with a jackhammer?

 

Urogataya: Don’t give him ideas… 

 

Monokuma: Upupupu, that’s a good one! Remind me to write that down later.

 

Urogataya: Dammit. 

 

Tachibana: I dunno if I really wanna go to the Food Court now, with all this noise and stuff… why don’t we hang out in my room instead?

 

Tachibana: It can be like Girls’ Night!

 

Ando: Erm… 

 

Tachibana: Uh… Girls-and-one-boy’s night? 

 

Urogataya: Sounds good to me. Come on, let’s go. 

 

**As soon as we started to walk away, Monokuma powered up the jackhammer again. Thank god the rooms are soundproof.**

  
  


**I hung out with Tachibana and Ando for a while - we mostly chatted about our favorite TV shows, family life, and other mundane things like that. Time went by fast, because before I knew it-**

 

[Crackle]

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Hello hello, attention students!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 10 pm. “Night time” begins now. 

 

Monokuma: Gooooood night! Don’t let the murderers bite!

 

**The busy day had really tired me out. I bid the other two students adieu and shuffled off to my dorm.**

 

**With much less trouble than I had had in other nights, I flopped onto my bed and let sleep take me somewhere far beyond the mall’s boundaries.**

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: As many a great comedian has said…

 

Monokuma: What’s the deal with airplane food?

 

Monokuma: It’s honestly one of the strangest phenomenons in human history. 

 

Monokuma: For decades, humans have demanded better airplane food. 

 

Monokuma: But has airplane food gotten better?

 

Monokuma: Of course not! If it had, people wouldn’t be asking that question anymore!

 

Monokuma: Ages and ages from now, alien anthropologists studying the human species are gonna have a field day with this.

 

Monokuma: So I guess the better question is…

  
Monokuma: What’s the deal with human fickleness? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter, new floor! same old author!  
> Do you think you can guess who's dying before the clues are even laid out? And what does Monokuma have planned?  
> (by the way, "Sala" is another one of my ocs, just for the record)  
> This is your last chance to get free time votes in! you can vote in the comments or by taking this poll here: http://www.strawpoll.me/11914484  
> Comments are always appreciated. Thanks again for reading!


	12. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It... sure has been a while. hi  
> I've been working on other projects for the most part so updates will probably be relatively slow from now on! very sorry abt that, but feel free to check out my other works

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I stay students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. Goooood morning, everyone!

 

Monokuma: Well, what’re you waiting for?! You’re not gettin’ any younger, and neither am I!

  
  


**Another day, another wake-up call. Is it bad that I think I’m getting used to this? Mhm, probably.**

 

**Before I could do anything else, though, the speaker system clicked on again. Huh?**

 

Monokuma: Eh… one more thing! I ain’t letting you all off that easy. 

 

Monokuma: Come down to the fountain area A-S-A-P for a little something special I’ve prepared for you! I was working on it all day yesterday, and I’m really tempted to give this thing a spin. If you don’t show up, I’ll install a flagpole here for the sole purpose of running your underwear up it!

 

**…**

 

**Charming as always, I guess.**

  
  


**I didn't really want to, but I figured there was no use delaying the inevitable. This couldn't be that bad, could it? Then again, if it really** **_was_ ** **that bad, then I would just be disappointed. Anyway, I quickly ran through the typical morning routines before heading towards the fountain.**

 

**A crowd of ornery students was already gathered there, looking as tired as I felt.**

 

Crane: It seems like Monokuma really loves remembering things I said a few days ago, and then coming to bite me in the butt with them… 

 

Tachibana: I don't really get it…

 

Handa: What is this supposed to be?

 

Urogataya: Eh? What's going on, everybody?

 

Dazai: [Snorts] See for yourself. 

 

**I managed to get a better look at what everyone was staring at, and immediately understood why they were all so confused. “What is this supposed to be” indeed.**

 

**At first glance it resembled a big wheel, but upon further inspection I realized it was the kind of spinner that people use on game shows. Positioned on a triangular stand that had a button and a rectangular slot on it, it was divided into fifteen colored sections: fourteen of them had pictures of the students’ faces on them, while one black section was ominously marked “WINNER” in blood red text.**

 

Irie: This is… rather odd, admittedly. 

 

Ando: Is this what he was buildin’ yesterday? 

 

Baisotei: It must have been. If it weren’t for the soundproofing on the rooms, those jackhammer noises would have kept me up all night. 

 

Watanabe: But… what is it.

 

Crane: I think he took my game show remark from the first day to heart… that sucks. I hate giving the bad guy ideas. 

 

Murakami: No one cares about that. 

 

Torisei: M-mhmm… 

 

Nosaka: [Points at one of the wheel’s sections] Is that one supposed to be me? That don’t even look like me! Where’s the suave charm?

 

Dazai: I don’t think it existed in the first place.

 

Rowena: Perhaps this is an elaborately disguised bomb…

 

Crane: [Pales]

 

Urogataya: I'm sure it's not a bomb. 

 

Nosaka: Anyway, he’s always late ta his own meetings. What a load of bullshit.

 

Giselle: [Takes a chocolate bar out of her pocket and begins to nervously eat it] ………….

 

**Soon enough, though, Monokuma waddled out from behind the wheel. Had he really been there the whole time? And if he had, why hadn't he come out as soon as we all arrived?**

 

**It's not like I'm happy to see him, though.**

 

Monokuma: So… I suppose you're all wondering why I've gathered you here today. 

 

Monokuma: Man, I've always wanted to say that! Upupupu!

 

Baisotei: [Sternly] Get to the point. 

 

Monokuma: Well, I was up all night working on this. Behold, the fruits of my labor! The Wheel of Doom!

 

**That's…. not a very ominous name for whatever this is. Maybe it won't be so bad?**

 

Tachibana: [Pouts] Wouldn't “the wheel of misfortune” be a better name?

 

Monokuma: Oh, no. That's coming up later!

 

Ando: What’s that sp’osed to mean?

 

Monokuma: Don't worry about it now! I'm not giving you any answers to that question. 

 

Monokuma: ……….

 

Monokuma: ………….

 

Everyone: ………….

 

Monokuma: Oh, for crying out loud! Just say “but what does it do, Monokuma” already so I can continue!

 

Crane: [Groans] What does it do, Monokuma. 

 

Watanabe: What can my fist do to your face, Monokuma. 

 

Monokuma: Watanabe-kun! That would be breaking the rules, and I'd have no choice but to kill you. 

 

Watanabe: [Unphased] ……..

 

Monokuma: Anyway, the wheel of doom!

 

Dazai: You  _ said _ that already. 

 

Monokuma: Well, if  _ some people _ stopped interrupting, we would have gotten past that point. 

 

Monokuma: This lovely little thing is part of your next motive! It's an exciting new mechanic that can really shake up the game. 

 

Monokuma: You may be thinking to yourself “how can it, Monokuma?”-

 

Giselle: Erm… no. Am not. 

 

Monokuma: …….

 

Monokuma: An. Y. Way. 

 

Monokuma: I'm gonna get out with it right now! Y’all are a bunch of shady fuckers. And do you know what you all have in common?

 

Handa: Bad h-

 

Monokuma: No interruptions! You all have secrets!

 

**Wait… what?**

 

**A feeling of dread began to overtake me, even though I still didn't know where he was going with this.**

 

Monokuma: Yes, secrets! Terrible, horrible things that you'd never share with anyone, ranging from silly little bad habits to deep personal trauma!

 

Monokuma: But you know what they say. “Secrets, secrets are no fun unless you share with everyone!” Upupu!

 

Baisotei: Get to the point, then. 

 

Monokuma: Stop interrupting me and maybe we'll GET to the point!!

 

Monokuma: Let’s talk turkey. When you press the handy dandy button on the Wheel of Doom, the wheel will spin around and around until you land on a person! That person’s secret will be dispensed from that little slot right below the button for your personal use. What you do with it is up to you!

 

Monokuma: Maybe you'll even murder over it~ 

 

**Everyone began glancing around at one another. It would be impossible to trust anyone with this kind of a motive, and it was clear that we all knew that. But did anyone have secrets that were worth killing over?**

 

**I figured that the people with more benign talents - like Giselle, Tachibana, and Torisei - probably wouldn't have secrets that were THAT terrible, but i would have to keep an eye out for everyone else.**

 

Torisei: [Raises hand] U-um, question. 

 

Torisei: I f-feel like I'm always asking what things are, but… what about the “WINNER” part of the wheel?

 

Monokuma: Oh, that old thing. Pay no mind to it. It's just something that might give you a ticket out of here without the added possibility of being tried and executed, nothing too big. 

 

Handa: WHAT.

 

Nosaka: Holy shit, wha’????

 

Irie: …My. 

 

Tachibana: [Hyperventilating] Oh my god, oh my god… 

 

Baisotei: What do you mean by that? 

 

Monokuma: Well, if you land on it, you get a variety of prizes!

 

Monokuma: First is a folder full of interesting stuff. 

 

Monokuma: Second, you get a few simple instructions. Follow them, and you're out of here! 

 

**Was it really true? Could I really get out of this hellhole? All I would have to do is spin the wheel, and-**

 

**...No. I have to wait, until no one is here. If everyone else was there and I hit the “WINNER” spot, then they would all want to know what it was, and that might negate the rule. I would have to do it later.**

 

Monokuma: Anyway, I'll leave you to it! Hopefully this gets another murder going, and even if it doesn't it'll probably start some juicy drama. Ta-ta!

 

**With that, he vanished.**

  
  


Murakami: Hey, he stole my line… 

 

Dazai: So let me guess. Baisotei-me has some sort of elaborate plan to keep our grubby hands off this thing. 

 

Crane: ...Seriously, what’s up with those honorifics, Dazai-chan?

 

Handa: Well? Do you? 

 

Baisotei: [Tired] ……….

 

Baisotei: [Shameful] You know what? No, I do not. I know there's nothing I can do to stop any of you from submitting to this, not after my failure last time. I just can't. 

 

Urogataya: Baisotei-chan… 

 

Giselle: Chiemi, is not- 

 

Baisotei: [Weakly] I'll be in my room. 

 

**With that, she ran off. Baisotei was actually surprisingly fast for someone her size, but the disheartening nature of her departure quickly stifled any impressed feelings I was experiencing.**

 

Nosaka: So. What now? 

 

Irie: I suppose whether or not to use it is up to our discretion. I still don't trust the “winner” thing, though. Something seems off. 

 

Murakami: Something’s always off with you, isn't it? 

 

Rowena: What a highly cursed object. I will have you know, I will not touch it. Perhaps it is haunted by the ghost of someone who lost a game show, and paid for it with their life. 

 

Ando: [Raises his hand] I understood none’a that. 

  
  


Crane: I think we should probably just go about our business until we figure something out. I mean… there’s no use trying to prohibit anyone from using it, not after last time.

 

Giselle: Yes,  _ Das macht Sinn _ !

 

Handa: At ease, then. 

  
  


**After that, we all had a quick breakfast - I had forgotten how hungry I was in the midst of Monokuma’s new motive. It seemed as though Handa was back to cooking for everyone now. Maybe Crane was right and he did feel bad about his behavior. I’m not sure, though. He’s a really prickly guy.**

 

**I also noticed that Arakawa’s body had been removed from the Food Court, but I didn’t really want to ask anyone about it. The wounds from her death were still too fresh for me. I assumed that it was probably Monokuma’s doing, since I can’t imagine anyone here wanting to pick up a dead body. Also, where would they put it anyway? It’s not like we could bury her body.**

 

**Thinking about that made the omelette I was eating taste a lot less good.**

 

**But still, idle chatter filled the room. Did everyone forget already, or were they avoiding the subject of murder the same way that I was?**

 

**… I tried not to think about it.**

  
  


**Breakfast had since ended, and I was hanging out alone in my dorm. Maybe I should try to socialize more today?**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

 

**On a whim, I decided to make my way upstairs to the salon. After all, I had been meaning to check it out at some point. It appeared that most of my classmates (could I even call them that? None of us even remembered having a single class together) were hanging around the new floor, but I brushed past most of them rather quickly.**

 

**The only person in the store was Tachibana, who smiled at me and waved.**

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chan! I thought you'd be hanging around here. Looks like it’s my lucky day!

 

**Should I hang out with Tachibana?**

 

**Yes** / No 

 

Tachibana: Oh! I had an idea. I wanna see what you think. 

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chan, do you want… a makeover?

 

**Huh?**

 

Urogataya: Somehow, I thought you'd be asking  _ me _ for that. Even though I'm just a perfumer and not a makeup artist. 

 

Tachibana: Well, that's what I was thinking originally. But who better to test my skills on than someone who actually works in the makeup industry? 

 

Tachibana: ...Pretty please? 

 

Urogataya: Alright, sure. I don't see the harm. 

 

Tachibana: [Clasps her hands together] Yay! Alright, just sit tight! 

 

**...What followed was hell. It appeared that while Tachibana definitely knew how to use makeup, she was more interested in using me to test out some kind of extravagant, flamboyant glam rock looks that looked as though they came straight out of an 80s cartoon. It was honestly not very comfortable, and I had to shout multiple times about stuff like how “eyeliner doesn't go there!” and “where did you even get white blush?!”**

 

**But she was having fun, and I like her, so I didn't really mind that much. There are far worse things in the world than bad makeup jobs.**

 

**I think we grew a little closer.**

  
  


Tachibana: Phew! Done! So what do you think?

 

Urogataya: It's certainly… interesting. 

 

Tachibana: Mhm, I'm not really that good at this stuff anyway. Normally, I'm the one hiring the makeup artists, not doing the makeup. 

 

Urogataya: If you plan weddings, then you've probably had to deal with people a lot more uncooperative than me, though. 

 

Tachibana: ….

 

Tachibana: Yeah! I'm under oath to not share anything revealed during sessions, though. 

 

Urogataya: Th-that’s for therapy sessions, not wedding planning meetings. 

 

Tachibana: [Inquisitive look] Is it? Oh, well. 

 

Tachibana: To answer your question, yeah! I have had to, like, deal with some pretty bad people. “Bridezillas” if you will. 

 

Urogataya: I thought they made that word up for TV shows.

 

Tachibana: Premaritial stress is a real thing, it seems. 

 

Tachibana: But it's why my people skills are so good! I can't plan weddings if all it takes to intimidate me is the bride. 

 

Tachibana: Once I had a champagne glass thrown at me! It was pretty bogus. 

 

Urogataya: That might be understating it, I think… 

 

Tachibana: Actually, there's a lot of factors that get in the way of me doing my job sometimes. Overbearing parents, people I hire for weddings being uncooperative…

 

Tachibana: [Brightens] But I haven't had to deal with the second one in a while. People are happy to work with me! I think it's because of my sunny personality. 

 

**Or it's just because she's famous…**

 

Tachibana: Tell me, have you ever been to a wedding?

 

Urogataya: Yeah, but it was when I was pretty little. 

 

Tachibana: [Clasps her hands together] Ah! Were you, like… mhm, what's it called?? The thing little girls do at weddings?

 

Urogataya: Shouldn't you know this?!

 

Tachibana: [Pointer fingers pressed together, pouting] I forgot. 

 

**What she's referring to is a… hm…**

 

Maid of honor /  **flower girl** / ring bearer 

 

Urogataya: A flower girl?

 

Tachibana: Yeah, exactly! Ehe, it slipped my mind...

 

Urogataya: N-no, I think the bride and groom weren't that close to my family. 

 

Tachibana: Ah, that's too bad! I was flower girl in a relative’s wedding when I was real little, it's what got me into wedding planning. 

 

Urogataya: Hey, if you get married someday, would you plan your own wedding?

 

Tachibana: ….

 

Tachibana: [Sweating] Aha, I don't, like, think anyone would wanna marry me. 

 

Urogataya: Oh? Why?

 

Tachibana: [Sweating, tense] I- uh- igottago! Bye! 

 

**With that, she ran away much faster than I thought she would be able to. She left all the makeup she was using open, too… Did I hit a nerve? I wasn't sure. Maybe I'd have to find out eventually, but now definitely wasn't the time to run after her and ask.**

 

**I went to the bathroom and rubbed off the makeup she had applied. I wasn't expecting Tachibana to be a people person, especially since she had a personality that some people would be turned off by. But since she gets along with people outside of here well, maybe she'll be able to help everyone else here get along.**

 

**I think I understand Tachibana a little better now.**

  
  


**I returned to my dorm out of habit, but I still have a little bit left of the day before dinner and the Night Time announcement… what should I do?**

 

**Taking the trip back up the elevator to the second floor (I was beginning to question why I had returned to my dorm by this point), I found myself heading towards the gym. I'd never been exceptionally athletic, but I realized I had been feeling kind of sluggish lately. Maybe a run on the treadmill would fix that.**

 

**Two people were in the gym: Crane was working on beating up a punching bag hanging from the ceiling. He smiled at me and gave me a quick wave, but immediately returned to attacking the bag. He seemed a bit busy, so I left him alone. The other person in the room was Watanabe, who was doing repetitions with a set of dumbbells. I decided to talk to him.**

 

Watanabe: I wasn't expecting for you to be hanging around here. 

 

Urogataya: To be honest, I wasn't expecting it either. But I got bored, so… 

 

Watanabe: [Nods] I get it. 

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Watanabe: Urogataya, you're kind of… scrawny. 

 

Urogataya: E-eh? Really?

 

Watanabe: Yeah. But… if you want, I could help you with that. You seem okay. 

 

**Should I take him up on his offer?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Urogataya: Yeah! I can take anything you throw at me! 

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs] If you say so. 

 

**For the next hour or so, Watanabe coached me in various exercises. He really wasn't kidding when he said earlier that I might die if I tried working out with him. It seemed like he was going easy on me, but I still ended up a sweaty mess. My muscles ached. I had better be getting abs from this, because otherwise I'm going to be mad.**

 

**It seemed like Watanabe thought I was doing well, though. He didn't really say anything to let me know what he thought, but occasionally he'd nod or let out an approving grunt. That felt good, at least.**

 

**Despite my sweatiness, I think we grew a little closer.**

  
  


Watanabe: ...Okay, that's good. Take a break. 

 

Urogataya: [Panting] Th-thanks… I'm just gonna… lie down on this bench here. 

 

Watanabe: I told you it was going to be intense. 

 

Urogataya: That you d-did. 

 

Urogataya: Are you… are you telling me that you do this every day?

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs] Not every day. But most days. 

 

Urogataya: J-j-Jesus. 

 

Watanabe: I mean, I’d prefer to work out outside or in a gym that isn't so… weird. But this is fine. 

 

Urogataya: What do you mean by weird?

 

**It seems fairly normal to me…**

 

Watanabe: Do you know anything about athletes, Urogataya?

 

Urogataya: I… can't say I do, no. 

 

Watanabe: I'll tell you, then. 

 

Watanabe: [Gestures at the wall] These posters. They're weird. 

 

Urogataya: They seem pretty normal to me. 

 

Watanabe: It's not so much the posters themselves as the people in them. 

 

Watanabe: Though I wouldn't be surprised if Monokuma had something to do with them. 

 

Urogataya: Eh…?

 

Watanabe: I mean. I don't play competitive sports, but I follow them. All the people on these posters are known for being kind of weirdly violent. 

 

Urogataya: Are you serious? 

 

Urogataya: One of them is a boxer, though. Aren't they supposed to beat people up?

 

Watanabe: Well, true. But this guy does that outside the ring. 

 

Watanabe: I don't remember his name. Something with a J. I think it was… Juro Suzuki?

 

Urogataya: That doesn't sound right. 

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs] I dunno. 

 

Watanabe: Same with the gymnast lady. Uh… Ayaka Onodera? 

 

Urogataya: Mhm, I don't think that one’s right, either. 

 

Watanabe: Oh, and that guy. He killed a bunch of people by bashing them in the head with some metal balls, or somethin’. Which is crazy. 

 

Watanabe: [Completely deadpan] Risotto something, I think. 

 

Urogataya: Okay, now I'm fairly certain you're messing with me. 

 

Watanabe: [Grunts] Admittedly, yeah. That time I was. 

 

Watanabe: Leave it to Monokuma to make these weird interior design choices. I'm pretty sure he thinks someone's gonna pick up on it and kill people because of it. 

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah… 

 

**I still don't really get Watanabe’s motives or why he acts how he does, but it was certainly an interesting conversation. I wonder how he knows so much about these types of things, especially since rock climbing isn't exactly a sport that will make you a big name in athletics.**

 

**Even so, I think I understand him a little better now.**

 

Watanabe: So. You up for round two?

 

Urogataya: I think… I think I would die if I tried. 

 

**FREE TIME END**

  
  


**The rest of the day passed without very much consequence: no one really talked that much. I think everyone was still stewing over the day’s new motive. I passed a bit of time fiddling with my ElectroID - there were a few apps on there, and everyone had an expanded info page that listed things like their accomplishments and where they were from. Someone clearly put a lot of work into making these things. I wasn't sure if anyone used the wheel, and decided to give it a closer look after the Night Time announcement.**

 

**It felt like I was waiting for ages, but-**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Hello hello, attention students!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 10 pm. “Night time” begins now. 

 

Monokuma: Gooooood night! Don’t let the murderers bite!

 

**I watched everyone head off to bed, trying not to look suspicious as I bade my time. (Is it bade or bided, anyway? I was never sure) Once I was certain that everyone had gone to their dorms, or at least to somewhere out of view of the fountain area, I hesitantly made my way over to the Wheel of Doom.**

 

**The wheel glowed, its backlit sections illuminating the otherwise darkened mall. I noted that a few sections had been dimmed - Handa’s, Torisei’s, and Irie’s. It seemed as though other people had gotten theirs. The “WINNER” section of the wheel looked the same as it did when I first laid eyes on it, though.**

 

**A shred of hope entered my mind. I still had a chance.**

 

**My hand hovered above the button for a few seconds before I slammed my hand down on it. The wheel lit up, and a particularly bright light began to travel around it. Round and round it went, crossing over the “WINNER” section a few times… before landing on another spot, that proceeded to dim. It didn't make me feel much like a winner.**

 

**There was a whirring, and a slip of paper dropped out of the slot below the button. I didn't think that leaving it there would be a good idea, so I took it and quickly scanned it.**

 

_ Yasuo Nosaka reads girly shoujo manga in his spare time.  _

 

**That… that was it? I had wasted my spin on that? Wow, the rest of these secrets must not be that bad if that was the one I got.**

 

Urogataya: Dammit! 

 

**Well, that was a waste of time. I went back to my room as quietly as I could. When I went to bed, I was full of shame.**

  
  


**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: As you know, I'm a bear. And I have many stories to tell about my time in the wilderness. 

 

Monokuma: Picture this: me, as dashing and as cute as ever. Just significantly younger!

 

Monokuma: So I decided to go fishing, once. I was hungry. 

 

Monokuma: And you should know how much bears like fish!

 

Monokuma: So there I was, and I had a fish in my hand. I was ready to eat it, but then it spoke to me.

 

Monokuma: I decided to humor it. After all, talking mammal mascots like me are a dime a dozen, but a talking fish is rare! 

 

Monokuma: And you know what it did? It tried to sell me insurance!

 

Monokuma: After that, it was just down the hatch. 

 

Monokuma: Can you imagine? Something weird like that happening, and it turning out to just be someone trying to sell you something? What a story!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's a new motive. what's gonna happen now?? idefk  
> By the way, "Juro Suzuki" is a reference to a new project that i might post eventually :y  
> Think you can guess who's dying? I'd love to hear ur thoughts!  
> Also, all the characters have refs now! check em out here: http://drdoa.tumblr.com/post/156198328800/the-gangs-all-here-these-only-took-forever


	13. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god it's been forever. I've mostly been working on my other, unrelated projects, so i completely lost the drive to update drdoa. i'm really sorry lol  
> i SHOULD be out w some new parts soon, and maybe ill get to the murder eventually

**That night, I had a strange dream. Everything was blurry, I heard warped and distorted screaming… I looked up from where I was standing to see a giant building start to collapse from the force of an explosion. The Hope’s Peak logo on its side crumbled to pieces. I began to run, but someone grabbed my ankle and I tumbled to the ground. I felt myself being dragged, and-**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I stay students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. Goooood morning, everyone!

 

Monokuma: Well, what’re you waiting for?! You’re not gettin’ any younger, and neither am I!

  
  


**...What the hell was that? Some kind of nightmare? It was so strange, and cryptic… I couldn’t parse what was going on during it. Hopefully, these dreams wouldn’t become a recurring thing.**

 

**I managed to shake myself out of bed and get ready to face the day.**

 

**Another day, another few hours of free time that I can spend hanging around with other people. If I’m being honest, this is starting to grow monotonous… but it’s still better than another murder.**

 

**Oh god, I didn’t just jinx anything, did I?**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

 

**At first, I considered walking around upstairs on the new floor again. But I realized that there were a few areas on the first floor that I had really neglected - like the clothing store and the drugstore. Somehow, it made me feel kind of bad that I didn’t make the fullest use out of everything.**

 

**I decided to take a walk on the first floor. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere in particular, but I happened to encounter Crane by the canal.**

 

Crane: [Smiles] Heyo, Urogataya-chan! I had an idea the other day. You think this thing is rideable? [Gestures to the gondola] I was thinkin’ of trying it out. 

 

**Do I spend some time with Crane?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Urogataya: It might be. Maybe we should see!

 

Crane: [Smiles] Alright!

 

**After that, we tried to get into the boat. Whoever had designed this building didn’t seem to know how to do that, since there was no dock to use in order to get into the canal. We ended up having to climb over the railing and praying that we wouldn’t fall into the water. We both ended up getting a little wet, but we made it into the boat just fine.**

 

**Then the realization that there wasn’t very much area to cover in the boat struck. The canal stretched down the long hallway, but didn’t go anywhere in particular. We just paddled back and forth for a while. It would’ve been boring, but Crane told a lot of stories that helped to pass the time. He was actually a surprisingly good storyteller, in fact.**

 

**I think we grew a little closer.**

  
  


Crane: …And that’s how I almost got my leg bit off by a shark. 

 

Urogataya: Jesus, you're being really casual about the fact that that happened! 

 

Crane: I mean, it didn't actually bite off my leg, right? I still have both legs, so everything's cool. 

 

Urogataya: S-sure… I mean, I guess. 

 

Urogataya: Hey, I was wondering. Life in Brazil… is it a lot different from life in Japan?

 

Crane; [Shrugs] Well, I dunno. I don't really remember anything past the day or so I stayed in a hotel before going to the Hope’s Peak building, so I can't say for sure about how different it is. 

 

Crane: Brazil is pretty cool, though. I live with my siblings and my uncle.

 

Urogataya: You have siblings? I always pegged you as an only child. 

 

Crane: Yeah, I live with all of ‘em. All five!

 

Urogataya: You have FIVE siblings?? 

 

Crane: Yep! I'm the oldest. It's kind of wild. 

 

Crane: Three younger sisters, and two younger brothers. 

 

**That's a weirdly well-balanced gender ratio… was this planned?**

 

Urogataya: Oh! Do they do capoeira? 

 

Crane: No, not really. My dad kinda wanted me to do it. 

 

Crane: [Crosses arms] Having a whole family of capoeiristas would be kind of strange, honestly. 

 

Urogataya: Ohhhh, I think I get it. 

 

Crane: One of my younger sisters does karate, but that's a whole different ball game. It's way less performative than capoeira, I can tell you that. 

 

Crane: [Tilts head, curious expression] Have you ever done martial arts, Urogataya-chan?

 

Urogataya: Awah? Uh… not really. Well, I did take a self defense unit in P.E., one time. That was a couple of years ago, I almost forgot. 

 

Crane: Oh! Just general self defense?

 

Urogataya: I dunno. It didn't work out that well for me, anyway. 

 

Urogataya: There was this girl in the same unit who I was trying to be friends with, so I always asked her to partner up… 

 

Urogataya: But she was much bigger than me, and I almost broke bones on several occasions. 

 

Crane: [Shudders] Ouch. 

 

Urogataya: I gotta… work out more… 

 

**It seemed as though most of the time I had spent with others had only gone to show me that I'm not a very active person. I need to work on that.**

 

Crane: ...Wait. 

 

Crane: Since there's no dock… how are we gonna get out of this boat? We got in by dropping down, but… 

 

Urogataya: Oh. Shit, you're right. 

 

Crane: [Shrugs] Oops. 

 

**I guess Crane’s caring nature makes more sense now: he has a lot of siblings he has to care for. Now that I think about it, he** **_does_ ** **come off as a sort of a “reliable big brother” type. I probably should have made the connection earlier, honestly.**

 

**Still, somehow I get the feeling that there's still more that I don't know about Crane…**

 

**But I think I understand him a little better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  
  


**We ended up getting very, very wet in an attempt to climb out of the boat. Maybe this is what Irie meant when she said the first floor was architecturally flawed. We were both dripping wet, so we just decided to go back to our dorms to change before going our separate ways.**

 

**By the time I was done, it appeared he had already gone on to somewhere else. The cafeteria, maybe. I still had a lot of time to hang around before we had to meet for dinner, but I didn't feel like hanging out with anyone - something had been bothering me ever since I saw it. I figured that now was a good time to check it out.**

 

**I made my way up to the second floor and headed towards the bookstore. It was strangely empty - I would have thought that some of the more bookish types would have been frequenting it, but no one was there when I arrived. Mercifully, what I was looking for was still right there where I left it.**

 

**Positioning myself on a wooden chair that was near the table, I picked up the book labeled** **_A History of Hope’s Peak Academy_ ** **and scanned over a few sections.**

 

_ Founded in 1932 by Izuru Kamukura, Hope’s Peak Academy has always been a shining example of the kind of talent many normal people work their entire lives to try and achieve. While most fail in this pursuit, the students of Hope’s Peak - known as “Super High School Levels” - are ingrained with this talent at birth. One of Hope’s Peak’s many pursuits is to nurture this talent in the world’s youth for a more successful tomorrow.  _

 

_ Hope’s Peak has been such a resounding success in the academic community that they have expanded their efforts by founding loosely-affiliated elementary and middle schools, as well as the “Reserve Course” in which even untalented students can get a Hope’s Peak experience. The school itself has inspired several successors in other parts of the world, including St. Elpis in Ireland and Encantado School for the Gifted in South America. While these so-called “talent schools” are still revered, none come close to reaching the prestige of Hope’s Peak.  _

 

_ I myself have taught at the school for many years. Within these pages will be a detailed account of life at Hope’s Peak Academy as well as its rich history.  _

 

**It seemed good enough. I mean, it was a bit stuffy in that foreigner way, but it was at least somewhat easy to read. I skimmed through most of the book, occasionally stopping to look at some pictures or to read a particular passage that had caught my eye.**

 

**Most of the book detailed the illustrious history of a few famous alumni who had attended the school, as well as a few interesting incidents and the various headmasters who had cycled through the school since Kamukura. I actually stopped to read a few pages on Jin Kirigiri, since I remembered Giselle mentioning him on our first day here. Nothing really stood out to me about the guy, though.**

 

**It was an informative read, but it didn't really say anything particularly juicy. I guess that since the author worked at Hope’s Peak, he wasn't allowed to divulge anything that would make the school look really bad. There were mentions here and there of talent-based research, but nothing was elaborated on. That's disappointing.**

 

**The book’s appendix contained a list of every student who had entered the Hope’s Peak main course, along with their talent and a brief description. Out of curiousity, I decided to check it out.**

 

**And then…**

 

Urogataya: H-huh?? Is this some kind of joke? 

 

**In seemingly random parts of the appendix, some names and descriptions were blacked out. The trend began in the 36th class and grew increasingly common from there. I held up the pages and squinted to try and see past the black marker, but to no avail. It didn't seem as though the book came with the names blacked out… what could they be hiding that Monokuma didn't want us to see?**

 

**I continued to flip through the pages - at around the 65th year, the classes began splitting into A-classes and B-classes because of the concentration of students entering the main course. The names that I** **_could_ ** **see became a blur. Kyosuke Munakata, Seiko Kimura, Isshiki Madarai, Ya-**

 

**Wait.**

 

Urogataya: ….

 

Urogataya: What the fuck is this? 

 

**If I had thought that the book was defaced before, I clearly had had no idea. Some of the last few pages of the book had been ripped out at an awkward angle, leaving their tops intact, but the rest were missing.**

 

**The entirety of Class 77B’s roster was completely gone. I only knew it was Class 77B because of the fact that the page’s title was the Class name and their year of graduation, which should have been about four years after I entered Hope’s Peak. But I… wasn't part of Class 77B, was I?**

 

**Flipping to the next page - or the next remnant of one - answered my question. Written there, in big bold letters, was “Class 77C”.**

  
  


**But… that made no sense, right? There weren't any C classes. Maybe they had to expand to accommodate more people again?**

 

**The last two pages were for the 78th classes. There was no C class. I began to mull over this. What did it mean that there was another class? Was that… my class? I feel as though I would have heard about it if Hope’s Peak had been accepting more people than normal, but I don't know. It's possible that I might have forgotten.**

 

**After that was just boring index pages. Out of curiosity, I flipped to the “About the Author” section to see if I could find out anything about whoever wrote the book. But I wasn't so lucky. The page was there, but it had clearly been vandalized in marker by a certain black-and-white bear.**

 

**There was an old-looking photograph of a middle-aged man with dark, curly hair. His features were European, and I have to admit that he was pretty good-looking. While the photo had been untouched, the description was another matter entirely.**

 

_ Iskander Sala was born in  _ **_THE DUMPSTER_ ** _ and received an education in  _ **_BEING A DOUCHE_ ** _ at  _ **_DICKBUTT UNIVERSITY_ ** _. He teaches  _ **_WASTING TIME 101_ ** _ at Hope’s Peak Academy.  _

 

**The rest was incomprehensible, even without the “replaced” text. Shaking, I slammed the book shut. What exactly was going on here? It was so normal at first, but then it just got so strange… has something really happened that we don't know about because of the memory loss thing? And it's weird that Monokuma wanted us to see it…**

 

**I decided to take the book back to my dorm with me so that I could look over it a little longer, and so that I could show everyone else once we got the time.**

  
  


**I still have a little bit of time left in the day… what should I do?**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

 

**Absentmindedly, I walked back upstairs. Everyone was kind of milling around, seemingly as bored as I am.**

 

**I decided to talk to Torisei, who was sitting in the garden. He looked up from the sketching he was doing as I approached**

 

Torisei: [Nervous] Lately, I've b-been… feeling kind of cooped up in here. I really wanna go outside… 

 

**Do I spend some time with Torisei?**

 

**Yes** / No 

 

Torisei: Y-you want to hang out with me? I m-mean, I'm not that interesting… but if you want to then you can, of course! I don't mean to deter you or anything… 

 

Urogataya: What do you mean, you're not interesting? I'm sure you have some cool stories about traveling or whatever. 

 

Torisei: [Deep thought] …….

 

Torisei: [Realization, clasps hands together] N-now that you mention it, I do! Uh… okay, let's see… 

 

**We spent a lot of time talking. In spite of his apparent twitchiness, Torisei was actually a very interesting person to talk to. I found myself being surprised by how worldly he was: I mean, he is a mapmaker, but he seems like the kind of person who rarely leaves the house. It turns out that he’s actually led quite the adventurous lifestyle.**

 

**All in all, I think we grew a little closer.**

 

Torisei: Th-that’s the whole of it, really. I c-can’t say I ever went back to those islands again, because I’m not sure the natives liked me very much.

 

Urogataya: Wait, what did you do?

 

Torisei: I d-don’t know, honestly… I still think about it, sometimes. At least I got to map their society. 

 

Torisei: I-it’s… really important to me that I do that!

 

Urogataya: Hm.

 

Urogataya: Hey, Torisei-kun… are you rich, or something? I can’t think of any other explanation for why you’d be able to travel so much. 

 

Torisei: [Alarmed] M-me?! Rich?! N-no, that’s definitely wrong… 

 

Torisei: It’s really for another reason. 

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Torisei: … 

 

Urogataya: Wait, so you’re not gonna tell me the reason?

 

Torisei: G-gah! Sorry!

 

Torisei: It’s… well… 

 

Torisei: There’s just… something. 

 

Torisei: [Pensive] I have s-severe respiratory issues. When I was little, I wasn’t able to d-do very much… 

 

Urogataya: O-oh.

 

Torisei: My grandpa used to be in the a-army. While serving, he saw all kinds of places. 

 

Torisei: [Melancholy] He w-wanted me to be able to see the world… so he took me on a trip, once. To lots of different places. China, America, France, Australia… it really fascinated me! 

 

Torisei: [Pensive] I started to m-make maps because I wanted to remember where I had been, and where he had taken me. But people st-started to notice my maps, and they said they were good… I was suddenly overwhelmed with all kinds of scholarships for overseas programs, and offers of money… 

 

Torisei: Money that my parents could use for my m-medical treatment.

 

Urogataya: That’s incredible! That’s really lucky, it would probably put Murakami-kun to shame.

 

Torisei: [Smiles] You th-think so…? N-not to knock Murakami-san, of course… 

 

Urogataya: Yeah, really. 

 

Urogataya: Do you still take trips with your grandpa, then?

 

Torisei: [Clouded expression] ….

 

Torisei: [Melancholy] ...No, I don’t. He died last year. 

 

Urogataya: ….

 

Urogataya: ...Oh. 

 

Torisei: Y-yeah.

 

**A story like that… now, that’s a powerful story. I guess now I get why he has such a passion for what he does: not only is it what gets him out of the house, he’s also carrying on a legacy in his own way.**

 

Torisei: [Melancholy] ….

 

Urogataya: ….

 

**We sat there for a long while. Neither of us said anything. There really wasn’t anything that could be said, not after that.**

 

**I think I understand Torisei a little better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  
  


**Today had been a really long day - it was surprising how much time I had managed to pass without any particular incidents occurring. I mean, today had to have been the first day that was fairly drama-free. That might have been just because I didn’t talk to many people, but still. It was nice to have a relaxing day, just for once.**

 

**As always, I went to dinner with everyone else. Between Nosaka being snarky as always and Rowena continuing to spout ominous drivel, it really felt as though things were getting back to normal after the horrifying events of a few days ago. It made me… sort of happy, in a way.**

 

**There was one thing that concerned me, though. Baisotei didn’t seem to have recovered from her slump in any way, shape, or form. As I watched, she mostly spent the evening not touching her food and giving very vague, distracted answers. I… don’t think she’s doing so hot. Maybe I’ll have to talk with her later.**

 

**Afterwards, I was completely exhausted. I hadn’t even done that much today, but there was something about this confined way of life that made me tired. I went to my dorm, fell on my bed, and entered a light sleep.**

  
  


**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: It’s been brought to my attention that someone’s trying to intercept this broadcast.

 

Monokuma: But who could it possibly be? Everyone loves seeing my face, after all!

 

Monokuma: Some people exist only so that they can ruin the fun of others. 

 

Monokuma: What gives, though? I gotta make a living here! 

 

Monokuma: To be fair, I’m paying myself to do this, but a living is a living! 

 

Monokuma: In order to prevent further interference, I’m making the rest of these segments in binary code. Try and intercept that, you bastards!

 

Monokuma: 01110111 01101111 01110111 00100000 01110100 01101000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110011 01110101 01100011 01101011 01110011

 

Monokuma: 01101001 01110011 00100000 01100001 01101110 01111001 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01100001 01100011 01110100 01110101 01100001 01101100 01101100 01111001 00100000 01110100 01110010 01100001 01101110 01110011 01101100 01100001 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110100 01101000 01101001 01110011 

 

Monokuma: ….

 

Monokuma: Never mind, this is such a hassle! I’m gonna keep losing viewers if I pull another stunt like that! 

  
  


**\-------------------------**

  
  


**Mhm… huh?**

 

**Shifting under my covers, my eyes lazily blinked open. The room was dark. I tried to look at the clock to get a better sense of how late it was, but the glowing digitized numbers swam before my eyes like jellyfish. It must have been early, if I was this drowsy.**

 

???: [rumblerumblerumblerumble]

 

**…**

 

**What was that?**

 

**…**

 

**Oh, it was my stomach. Never mind, false alarm.**

 

**I was feeling pretty hungry, though. Cursing myself for not hoarding any snacks in my room, I decided to shuffle on over to the drugstore to see if they had snacks. The Food Court was closed, but I had never been outside much at night, so I wasn’t sure about the drugstore. It couldn’t hurt to find out, though.**

 

**The door creaked open as I slowly opened it, and shut it with a quiet click. The fluorescent mall lights had been shut off, and only a few soft, pulsing lights near the ground and under the canal water lit the way. The whole thing had a very eerie feeling to it, like a dream ballet sequence from an old musical.**

 

**But I was very much awake. And, as I was about to find out, I was not the only one.**

  
  


**When I entered the fountain area, I had to squint. I had nearly forgotten about the Wheel of Doom and its garish arcade-esque lights, and it hurt to look at in the darkness despite the fact that a few more spaces had been dimmed. But something made my eyes widen. I rubbed my eyes, thinking that I was maybe seeing things… but I wasn’t. Because standing there in front of the wheel, back turned to me, was…**

 

Urogataya: [Mumbling] Mura...kami?

 

**The lucky student didn’t seem to sense my presence, which may have been rather fortunate in the long run. I couldn’t see the expression on his face, but he appeared to be tenser than normal. I sucked in my breath as I watched him take his hand and slam it on the button.**

 

**The wheel lit up, and began to spin around. It moved around several times, and each time, the tension in the room increased. I found myself besieged with questions: just what was he doing out here? Why this late?**

 

**But whatever questions I had would have to wait. Just as they were beginning to form in my head, the wheel stopped.**

 

**On the section labelled “WINNER”.**

 

**Murakami let out a wheeze, and the telltale whirring sound started up again as the machine produced a slip of paper. Once it had dropped, he picked up the slip and began to look it over. What he did next, I’ll never know, as I had begun to quickly sneak away from the area. I was fairly certain that I had seen something that I was never supposed to stumble upon, and this was a great burden.**

 

**Somehow, I managed to reach my dorm without being noticed by Murakami. I quickly closed the door, and let out a massive breath that I didn’t know that I had been holding. My mind swirled with even more queries about what this meant for him, and for the rest of us.**

 

**Would he really get to leave?**

  
**I spent the rest of the now-sleepless night mulling this over, as I weighed Arakawa’s ring in my hand.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...hm.  
>  next up: more free time events, and a legitimate event!  
> be sure to leave kudos and/or comments if you enjoyed!


	14. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's me again. Hi. Anyway, I've been going through some hard times recently, and that's why it's been taking me so long to update. I also have a bunch of other projects going on that take priority, and I'm trying to work on those. I had this chapter typed up from ages ago, so I decided to post it now.

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I stay students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. Goooood morning, everyone!

 

Monokuma: Well, what’re you waiting for?! You’re not gettin’ any younger, and neither am I!

 

**……….**

 

**Morning again? No problem.**

 

**Well, there is a pretty big problem, and that problem is the fact that we’re all trapped here… but that’s besides the point.**

 

**The days are growing long and monotonous - nothing particularly interesting has happened in a long, long time. At this point, I’m debating as to whether or not that’s a good thing. On one hand, no murder. But on the other hand, it’s just been so boring lately!**

 

Urogataya: Urgh… 

 

**Well, whatever. It’s not like there’s much I can do about that. But I guess I should just go see what everyone else is doing. We haven’t really hung out as a group in a while, have we?**

  
  


**I decided to head down to breakfast, to see what was happening with everyone else. And as it turned out, something was definitely happening… though whether it was “good” or “bad” was up for debate, admittedly. Everyone was gathered around one big table.**

 

Baisotei: [Sternly] No.

 

Rowena: Yes.

 

Irie: [Exasperated] Noooo.

 

Rowena: Yessssss!

 

Handa: I don’t care either way.

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] M-maybe?

 

Rowena: Do those not count as agreements? 

 

Dazai: No, they fucking don’t.

 

Urogataya: Hey, everyone. What’s going on? 

 

Giselle: [Smiles] Ohio-gomatsu, Urogataya!

 

Tachibana: I think you mean “good morning”.

 

Giselle: Yes!

 

Baisotei: Urogataya-san, you’re sensible. Can you please tell her? 

 

Urogataya: Tell… who… what?

 

Rowena: [Scoffs] I do not need to be told anything, well-guarded one! I know what I know.

 

Murakami: And what you know is… jack shit, honestly.

 

Nosaka: [Slams fist in palm] DAMN!

 

Urogataya: Can someone tell me what’s even going on?! 

 

Rowena: I said that we should have a seance, in order to pay tribute to those who have left us… and to ask them for information about the outside world.

 

Torisei: [Shocked] G-G-GHOSTS?!

 

Watanabe: Ghosts aren’t real.

 

Rowena: And how would you know that, you ogre?!

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs] I’m not the ogre. I met her once.

 

Murakami: Oy, what’re you even talking about?

 

Baisotei: I just have a bad feeling about this, is all. I feel as if the dead should be left dead… otherwise, I may just end up feeling bad again.

 

Crane: I dunno, I think it’s worth a shot. 

 

Ando: [Pale, pensive] D’ya think it’s against the rules, or somethin’? Bringin’ back dead students…

 

**...Is Ando alright? He’s been acting very strange.**

 

Rowena: It is not necromancy, simple one. It is merely communication. 

 

Monokuma: [Appears] Did someone say rules?

 

Urogataya: Y-you again?!

 

**It had been a while since Monokuma had intervened with anything - aside from the morning and nighttime announcements, I had actually almost forgotten that he was there. And yes, he was as annoying as ever.**

 

Monokuma: I’m so flattered that you actually remembered the rules, Ando-kun~ people usually forget all about them, and I have to butt in myself!

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] Why’m I always th’ subject a your jokes…

 

Irie: You quite literally just butted in yourself, you know. 

 

Rowena: Ah, you! Demon of the ursid variety! Heed me, then. Is communing with the dead against these “rules” of yours?

 

Monokuma: Ehh? Well, they’re definitely against the rules of nature, but…

 

Monokuma: There’s nothing in the rules about talking to or even about bringing back the dead! 

 

Handa: So, let me guess. You’re going to MAKE a rule about it?

 

Monokuma: Nooope! That’d be boring. You guys are really boring lately! I need you to do something to make things interesting around here, anyway.

 

Monokuma: Summon as many dead as you want! Maybe we’ll have a zombie uprising, and you’ll all be killed. That would be kind of a copout, and the audience would be mad, but it’d be shocking!

 

Giselle: The wh-

 

Monokuma: Irrelevant! Anyway, do whatever you want. I’m just gonna be right here, being my usual adorable mascot self. 

 

Baisotei: [Stern]  **_LEAVE._ **

 

Monokuma: Or I could do that! 

 

**With that, he vanished. Rowena looked pretty happy (though her expression was still as cloudy as it ever was), while some of the others merely appeared concerned.**

 

Crane: Hey, maybe we should take a vote. All in favor of the seance, raise your hands!

 

**Rowena’s hand immediately jerked up. This was followed by Crane’s own, Tachibana’s, Dazai’s, Giselle’s, and surprisingly enough, Nosaka and Murakami’s.**

 

Dazai: I just wanna see where this goes. I don’t care about Arakawa-me or Goto-me.

 

Nosaka: Hey, Noboru! Let’s make a bet. If this shit actually works, you gotta do my laundry for a week!

 

Murakami: You sure you wanna bet your luck against someone whose talent is luck? Well, you’ve got yourself a deal.

 

Crane: Okay. All not in favor, raise your hands.

 

**Baisotei, Torisei, and Irie raised their hands. Ando glanced furtively at Handa for a second, but neither of them moved to vote. Watanabe didn’t vote, either.**

 

Handa: I’m abstaining. I couldn’t care less.

 

Urogataya: I agree.

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] ………….

 

Torisei: I d-don’t think this is a good idea. I’ve attended various tr-tribal rites… normally, messing with spirits is a bad idea. 

 

Rowena: Worry not, well-traveled one. I am well versed in the paranormal! You can depend on me!

 

Torisei: I s-still don’t like it… 

 

Crane: Well, majority does rule, right? 

 

Tachibana: Yep! So, I guess we’re doing it, then!

 

Rowena: [Smirks] Excellent. 

 

Baisotei: [Sighs] Don't make me regret this. 

 

Rowena: [Pointing] Guarded one, the only thing you will regret is the lives you have not saved! 

 

Handa: The what. 

 

Rowena: Fie, you culinary demon! 

 

**Okay, now she's just talking nonsense for the sole reason that she's got our attention…**

 

Giselle: [Nervous] … 

 

Torisei: [Nervous] … 

 

Irie: [Bored] … 

 

Nosaka: Well, that was a load of shit. Let’s eat! 

 

**Handa started bringing out the food he had been working on preparing while we were all talking - giant, fluffy pancakes. We all started devouring them.**

 

**Everyone, that is, except for one person.**

 

Handa: Ando. Is something wrong? 

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] ‘m fine. Not hungry. 

 

Dazai: [Sniggers] Did they run out of hay bales for you to eat, you cow? 

 

Crane: That was… pretty mean, actually. 

 

Dazai: You thought I wasn't mean? Keh. 

 

Baisotei: [Concerned] You really should eat something, you know. 

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] No, it's fine. I'm just gonna go. 

 

**With that, he got up and awkwardly powerwalked out of the food court. The rest of us just stared after him in confusion, trying to piece together what was going on.**

 

Crane: [Incredulous] Well, that was a thing. 

 

Urogataya: ...Yeah. 

  
  


**Breakfast soon ended, and everyone went their separate ways. No one seemed to really want to ask Ando what that ordeal was all about, and he was nowhere to be found after breakfast. Out of curiosity, I glanced at the Wheel of Doom - in addition to the three who had been dimmed the last time I had gotten a good look at it (plus Nosaka), a few more had been darkened. Tachibana’s, Dazai’s, and the** **_WINNER_ ** **slot were all no longer functional.**

 

**Huh.**

 

**Weird.**

 

**As usual, I ended up back in my room. It was the morning, so I had a lot of time to myself…**

 

**What should I do?**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

  
  


**On a hunch, I made my way upstairs to the toy store. Just like I expected, Rowena was there. She was digging through the same pile of junk that she was looking through when the floor first opened up - looking for another ouija board, I assumed.**

 

Rowena: [Pensive] Setting up for the seance may take quite a bit. I would not want to offend any of the spirits present within this building - or any wraiths, ghouls, or goblins that may lurk here!

 

Rowena: Though I care not for offending… gremlins… it seems as though this place is overrun with them. 

 

Rowena: Eugh.

 

**Do I spend time with Rowena??**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Rowena: Kuhuhu… how fortuitous for you. You can assist with the preparations. Come, we must make haste!

 

Urogataya: G-great… 

 

**I helped Rowena set up for the seance. It turns out that my perfuming abilities and sense of smell came in handy, as she was very particular about the kinds of candles that she wanted to use for it. She also sent me on a bunch of other cockamamie errands and refused to let me touch the ouija board that she was setting up in the cafeteria. It was more than a little strange, admittedly, but we eventually got it all done. Rowena made tea for the two of us once we were finished.**

 

**As weird as it was, I think we grew a little closer.**

  
  


Rowena: Loose tea is the best for tasseography… I tend to prefer oolong, but white is fine. The tea selection here is limited. Perhaps I should ask the critical one about that.

 

Urogataya: The… critical one? You mean Handa-san?

 

Rowena: Mhmm… 

 

**She took a sip of her tea, and I followed suit. There was a quiet moment that passed between us.**

 

**I realized something.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, Rowena-san? Er… Bathory-san?

 

Rowena: Rowena is fine, thank you very much.

 

Urogataya: Right, right.

 

Urogataya: Um… where are you from, anyway? Your name definitely isn’t Japanese, but you talk like a normal Japanese person.

 

Urogataya: Come to think of it, I don’t know anything about you. 

 

Rowena: Ah! You’d like to hear my sordid parable, my tale of woe?! My… backstory?!

 

Urogataya: I guess?

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] Take heed, for ‘tis a story not for the weak of heart!

 

Rowena: [Pensive] In distant Transylvania lived a vampire. A great hunter of the supernatural managed to befell him with his powerful whip! From his bloodied corpse, I sprung!

 

**Uh...**

 

Urogataya: That definitely didn’t happen. 

 

Rowena: … 

 

Rowena: Ah… so you saw through my ruse. I shall present you with the truth, then. 

 

Rowena: I was brought here from an alien planet, far removed from our own. I was betrothed to the ancient king of a once-powerful species, but a rogue space knight carried me away to this loathsome sphere. 

 

Urogataya: ...You mean earth.

 

Rowena: [Points] Yes! Precisely!

 

**The more she talked, the more I realized that she actually probably didn’t want me to know anything about her, or where she came from…**

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Urogataya: Rowena-san. Are you the kind of person who doesn’t like to divulge personal information?

 

Rowena: Of course not! I have allowed you to partake in the fruit of two of my many stories, have I not?

 

Urogataya: Well, you have. But I’m not so sure they’re true… 

 

Rowena: I’m afraid I cannot help you if you are a nonbeliever. 

 

Urogataya: ...Sure. 

 

Urogataya: By the way, which prefecture are you from?

 

Rowena: Yamanashi.

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Rowena: … 

 

Rowena: [Enraged] AAGH, OUT WITH YE! BEGONE!

 

Urogataya: HYAAAAA??!

 

**Rowena then proceeded to throw salt at me (where was she even keeping it?) until I ran away. I realize now that she’s probably a guarded person, considering how she was so insistent on feeding me wild stories instead of telling me the truth about her origins…**

 

**I think I understand Rowena a little better now.**

  
  


**I still have some free time left in the day… who should I spend it with?**

 

**There was one student who I had been feeling particularly concerned about lately, someone who had begun to isolate themself from everyone else. That didn’t sit right with me, so I decided to seek them out. We had had a good time last time we spent time together, so I figured that it would be a good idea to try again.**

 

**I found Baisotei in the bookstore, reading what appeared to be one of those cheesy romance novels. You know, the kind with the tattered cover that you wouldn't think that anyone actually reads. But I guess someone was reading them, and that someone was Chiemi Baisotei. She turned to me, a pensive melancholy evident on her face.**

 

Baisotei: ...Hello, Urogataya-san. What brings you here? 

 

**Do I spend time with Baisotei?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Baisotei: [Smiles sadly] I'm afraid I don't have anything particularly interesting to be doing right now. I was just catching up on some reading. 

 

Urogataya: I don't think I've heard of that book. What's it about?

 

Baisotei: Oh! It's…

 

**I sat there as Baisotei explained the plot of the novel to me. I was definitely right about it being a cheesy romance, because it hit every trope I knew (and a few others I didn't know existed). Still, she seemed to be somewhat cheered up by the company.**

 

**I feel like we got closer.**

  
  


Baisotei: And that's the whole of it, i’d say. 

 

Urogataya: Wow, I can't believe that. The maid and the athlete having a secret affair that ends in death?? I never would have guessed that. 

 

**Actually, I would have…**

 

Baisotei: [Nods] It’s a great book. I've read every one by this author… 

 

Urogataya: I see. 

 

Urogataya: Hey, Baisotei-san. You… really like girly things, don't you? 

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Urogataya: N-not that that's a bad thing or anything! I just wouldn't have expected someone like yourself to be into that kind of stuff. 

 

Baisotei: [Pensive] No, it's fine. I suppose I am. 

 

Baisotei: I'm a bodyguard, but I'd like to think that I'm a normal teenage girl in most other respects. 

 

Baisotei: [Puts a hand to her cheek] I like makeup, and things like that… 

 

Urogataya: Makeup? 

 

Urogataya: Baisotei-san, do you wear any perfume? 

 

Baisotei: Oh, heavens no. I can't. 

 

Urogataya: Why not? 

 

Baisotei: [Frowns] It all ties back to my field. Assailants can smell you coming, sometimes… it's best not to risk it. 

 

Urogataya: Oh… 

 

Urogataya: Well, if you ever want to try some, then just let me know. I don't think anyone is going to attack you here. 

 

Baisotei: [Smiles] You're too kind, Urogataya-san. 

 

Urogataya: I do think that maybe some notes of cinnamon would work for you… 

 

**I think it's kind of sad, really - how she just wants to be a girl, but her job prevents her from doing that. I don't think that girliness is a privilege that should be denied to others. I might just be biased, though, because I'm kind of girly myself.**

 

**I think I understand Baisotei a little better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  
  


**Upon checking the time when I returned to my room, I realized that it was almost time for the seance that Rowena had been planning. I don't really believe in ghosts… but I might as well go.**

 

**Suddenly, there was a knock at my door.**

 

Urogataya: A-ah, coming!

 

**I opened the door, and…**

 

Crane: [Salutes] Hi, Urogataya-chan. You goin’ down to the cafeteria for the ghost thing?

 

Urogataya: I was planning on it, yeah. 

 

Crane: Great! Maybe we could walk down there together. I mean, if you want. 

 

Urogataya: I don't see why not! Let's go, then. 

 

**We started walking together. Crane’s flip-flops made a weird noise against the tile floor, but I didn't really pay attention. My mind was more occupied by other things.**

 

Urogataya: Do you believe in ghosts, Omiata-kun? I mean, what with this whole seance thing… 

 

Crane: Hm. I feel like that kind of thing could go either way. 

 

Crane: I guess I'm ghost-agnostic if that makes sense - I think ghosts are real, but I don't believe in them most of the time. 

 

Urogataya: Hm. That's a little strange. 

 

Crane: Like, I don't believe in haunted objects, or anything. But I like the idea of the people we've lost looking after us even after they've died. 

 

Urogataya: I guess that makes sense. 

 

Crane: … 

 

Urogataya: I wonder if I'll be able to talk to Arakawa-chan again… 

 

Crane: Maybe so. 

  
**And the two of us walked on in silence, until we reached the Food Court.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for ending on such an abrupt note!  
> Next chapter is the murder. Who do you think is gonna kick the bucket??? I'd love to hear your theories and ideas!  
> All comments are much appreciated. Thank you!


	15. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 5)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow  
> a LOT happens in this chapter - there's a reason it's 21 pages in google docs. i've been working on this one for ages, so i really hope you enjoy it!  
> also, i'm doing a character popularity poll. you can vote for your faves here: https://goo.gl/forms/CBXc8koNu2PEHhIL2

**The lights outside of the Food Court were as fluorescent and artificial as ever, but the lights on the inside had been dimmed. A curtain had been stretched across the entryway, no doubt Rowena’s handiwork. I couldn’t see what was going on inside, but I assumed there were devilish machinations at hand.**

 

**At least… that’s what Rowena would probably call them.**

 

**Irie was standing outside of the Food Court, looking particularly disgruntled. I decided to go talk to her.**

 

Irie: [Disgusted] …

 

Urogataya: Irie-san! Hello!

 

Irie: Good evening, Urogataya-san.

 

Crane: Are you going to the seance, too?

 

Irie: …

 

Irie: [Sighs, turns head to the side] It appears I have no choice, do I? Bathory-san has called everyone here for the purpose of this gathering.

 

Urogataya: H-huh? You don’t seem too happy… do you not believe in ghosts, Irie-san?

 

Irie: I don’t. I’m someone who’s more inclined to believe in what I have evidence for… but that’s not it.

 

Urogataya: Eh?

 

Crane: What is it, then?

 

Irie: It’s… hm.

 

Irie: [Pensive] The last time we had a gathering like this, or attempted to… someone died, did they not?

 

Urogataya: You really think that someone’s going to try and plot a murder here?

 

Irie: [Folds hands] I am aware that Tachibana-san was unfairly accused last time in her attempts to gather us all together. However, I do have significantly less trust placed in Bathory-san, especially with her macabre interests… and her taste in decor.

 

**Is she really going to stake whether or not someone is a murderer based on the curtains they use? She’s the Super High School Level Architect, but she has the assuredness of a Super High School Level Interior Designer…**

 

Crane: But you came anyway, didn’t you?

 

Irie: [Sighs] I was under the impression that I had no choice.

 

Urogataya: Ah, but you should go, Irie-san! This could be a chance for you to connect with the rest of the group.

 

Irie: [Pensive] …

 

Irie: I don’t really want to do that.

 

Crane: Geez…

 

Crane: [Thinking] Anyway, Urogataya-chan. Should we go in? I think everyone else is here, for the most part…

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah, let’s do it!

 

Crane: Alright!

 

Urogataya: Yeah!

 

Irie: [Sighs]

 

**And with that weird, short affirmation, I pushed back the curtains and the three of us entered the Food Court.**

 

 

**The area was a lot… dimmer than usual. And that was honestly an achievement, considering the fact that the mall lights were usually so bright. More dark curtains had been affixed to the walls, which helped to add to the effect. The candles that Rowena and I had set up earlier glowed softly from various spots on the tables and floor, giving the room an eerie feel to it. Almost everyone save for a few people had pretty much arrived, and was milling about the area.**

 

**Handa, however, was busy behind one of the counters. I decided to go talk to him before making contact with everyone else, since he didn’t seem particularly interested on joining in the festivities. So I gave a quick shout to Crane, who nodded and merged with the rest of the group.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, Handa-san. I didn’t think I’d see you around here. You don’t believe in kitchen ghosts or anything, do you?

 

Handa: [Snivels] Do you take me for a fool? I am not superstitious.

 

Urogataya: ...Oh. Why did you come down here, then?

 

Handa: I was not planning on attending, I’ll have you know. I was simply going to make some dinner.

 

Urogataya: Well, that sounds good. What are you making?

 

Handa: [Pensive] Hm… I was thinking some freshly-ground pappardelle with sea urchin and cauliflower, dashed off with a bit of crushed chili. Of course, I’ve wanted to try preparing this dish I had in an American restaurant, once: braised island duck with a mulberry and mustard oil glaze. Or, maybe, roast lamb, with a salad of sweet onions, arugula, fregola, and capers…

 

Urogataya: ….

 

Urogataya: I understood none of that.

 

Handa: Feh. I can’t believe I even bothered to make you bread.

 

Urogataya: H-hey! It was good bread, even!

 

Handa: [Amused] Pathetic. I don’t suppose you have any stunning ideas, then?

 

Urogataya: Uh… no.

 

Handa: What’s your favorite food.

 

Urogataya: Erm… bacon, maybe. Or nutella. Or-

 

Handa: Leave my sight.

 

Urogataya: Awawa, h-hey…

 

 

**I realized that Rowena had yet to arrive, which was rather odd. Tachibana was late, too. I migrated to a group that consisted of Dazai and Ando, who didn’t seem all too pleased with each other.**

 

Dazai: ………….

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] …………….

 

Urogataya: Are you guys okay?

 

Dazai: [Sniggers] I’m perfectly fine. Do you want me to lick your boots. Oh, rejoice, for our savior has arrived, or whatever.

 

Urogataya: ...huh.

 

Ando: [Pale] H-howdy, Urogataya-san. Hope everything’s treatin’ ya well.

 

Urogataya: Eh? Is there something wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!

 

Dazai: Haah, stop trying to make situational puns.

 

Urogataya: Eep!

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] Don’t w-worry ‘bout me. I’m just a humble cowherd.

 

Urogataya: You… really don’t look good, though. You’re shaking like a leaf. Maybe you should sit down and eat something.

 

Ando: [Pale] **I don’t wanna eat anythin’.**

 

Urogataya: A-ahhhhh???

 

Dazai: Heh.

 

Ando: Sorry if I came off as rude right then ‘n there. I just ain’t hungry.

 

Urogataya: ...Okay?

 

???: Sorry I’m late, everyone!

 

**Tachibana came bustling in, her hair flying behind her as she ran. She had a cheerful expression on her face, and she stopped next to our little group.**

 

Ando: Tachibana-san. Heyo.

 

Tachibana: [Peace sign] Hiya, Ando-kun! You look good today. And- oh! Dazai-chan!

 

Dazai: [Glowering] What do you want, pixie breath.

 

Tachibana: You did up your hair! It looks nice!

 

**I hadn’t noticed before, but Tachibana was right - though Dazai’s hair was short, the dangly parts were affixed to the back of her head with a plain silver pin. It was actually a pretty good look for her.**

 

Urogataya: This really does frame your face better!

 

Dazai: [Frowns] Does it. I didn’t think anyone would notice. It was just getting in the way.

 

Ando: [Smiles] It-

 

Dazai: Can it, cow.

 

Ando: [Frowns] Folks always use cows as insults, but they’re real pleasant animals. If ya ever met one, you’d know.

 

Tachibana: [Eyes sparkling] Hey, I wanna meet a cow!

 

Dazai: [Huffs] Sure, let me hoof it over to the nearest farm and go shake a cow’s hand.

 

Ando: Cows don’t have hands.

 

Tachibana: Oh! She was being facetious!

 

Dazai: [Disgusted] …….

 

**Tachibana turned to me.**

 

Tachibana: Anyway, Urogataya-chaaan! Are you excited? We’re going to talk to ghosts!

 

Urogataya: Well, I’m not sure how well it’ll work, but…

 

Urogataya: Yeah, I suppose so.

 

Tachibana: I dunno what I wanna ask the ghost… maybe I should ask it for book recommendations. But I don’t have any time to read anything, not lately…

 

Tachibana: [Thoughtful] I wonder if you could marry a ghost… a ghost can spell out its vows using a ouija board, right? Or by writing them in blood on a mirror!

 

Urogataya: Wh-what are you even talking about?!

 

 

**At that moment, Rowena hurried into the room. She was clutching the ouija board between her gnarled fingers, a wild expression on her face.**

 

Rowena: Awaken, fools! Your dark mistress has arrived!

 

Nosaka: Oh, good. I was wonderin’ where Crazy was. It felt waaaay too normal in here.

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] Expect nothing of the sort, foul demon!

 

**She’s surprisingly oblivious…**

 

Rowena: I have come to establish a link, betwixt this world and the next. I shall do so with this holy artifact!

 

Murakami: A holy artifact from the toy store.

 

Crane: [Shrugs] Whatever works!

 

Baisotei: Rowena-san. You are sure that this is the best idea?

 

Rowena: Of course I am!

 

Torisei: Erm… I’m n-not…

 

**Everyone turned to glance over at the mapmaker, and he appeared to shrink back under everyone’s gazes. Apparently, he hadn’t expected his objection to get anyone’s attention.**

 

Giselle: Eh? What do you mean, Samuru?

 

Rowena: [Points] Infidel!

 

Torisei: [Frightened] GYAAAAHHH!!!

 

Baisotei: [Unamused] Let him speak.

 

Torisei: U-uhm… I don’t think that we should be messing around with ghosts.

 

Torisei: [Nervous] It’s not a g-good idea… ghosts are scary.

 

Handa: [Hand on hip] ...Scary.

 

Torisei: Ah! Yes!

 

Torisei: B-bathory-san, there’s a lot of stigma surrounding g-ghosts… i don’t think it’s safe.

 

Rowena: [Points accusingly] Do you not trust the whims of the mistress of the night?! My judgement is infallible! The paranormal is on my side!

 

**I could almost feel Arakawa’s ghost sighing behind me.**

 

Torisei: [Nervous] I d-don’t know, though! There was this thing where, uh… erm…

 

Nosaka: Hey, spit it out already!

 

Murakami: [Smirks] Yeah, nerd.

 

Torisei: [Frightened] Eep!

 

Baisotei: Please, take your time.

 

Torisei: [Frightened] There was an incident… in South America, I think. A m-man engaged in tribal rites, became possessed by a ghost, and started killing g-girls!

 

Watanabe: [Flat] Give me a break.

 

Rowena: [Pensive] Meek one, your concerns are quite valid. In the spirit world, there exist many malicious poltergeists. Like from that movie…

 

Crane: [Tilts head] Which… movie?

 

Rowena: [Points dramatically] NEVERTHELESS! I do believe that the graceful one and the dopey one’s spirits would not cause any harm.

 

Tachibana: Dopey?

 

Irie: She’s not wrong.

 

Dazai: [Grimaces] Can we just get on with it? You idiots are wasting time, as usual.

 

**Geez, with all this arguing, this group is feeling more like a bad sitcom cast than a class of ultra-talented students…**

 

**But I kept that thought to myself. I didn’t want to contribute to the arguments.**

 

Handa: Whatever you do, it doesn’t concern me.

 

Giselle: Ehh…

 

Rowena: [Smug] Good, then. We shall begin.

 

**As everyone watched, she began to set up the Ouija board by placing it on one of the Food Court tables. The expression on her face was deadly serious - actually, almost laughably so. When she was finished, she turned her gaze to the rest of us.**

 

Rowena: The advised number of participants for a Ouija ritual is two… a gentleman and a lady. However, that may not be possible with the number of people in our party.

 

Rowena: [Points dramatically] I shall act as the medium! Who else dares to step up to the plate and converse with the dead?!

 

Irie: ...Stop yelling.

 

Rowena: NO!

 

Tachibana: [Cheerful] Oh, oh! I wanna do it!

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] Sure, why not.

 

Urogataya: Huh? I wouldn’t have expected you to believe in those kinds of things, Murakami-kun.

 

Murakami: Do I look like I have anything better to do?

 

Urogataya: ...Fair point. I think I’ll do it, too.

 

Rowena: Kekeke… I’m amassing members for my coven! This is spectacular!

 

Murakami: I’m not joining any fucking cults.

 

Rowena: …

 

Dazai: [Sordid] Maybe if I get lucky, the ghost will kill me. Why not.

 

 

**People began to come forward one by one - there were still several who didn’t want to do it, but we managed to amass a pretty good amount of participants.**

 

**In the end, Rowena, Murakami, Tachibana, Dazai, Giselle, and I sat around the table. Torisei attempted to sneak out of the room, but he was caught by Nosaka and forced to be a participant.**

 

Torisei: W-why aren’t you doing it, then…?

 

Nosaka: You kidding me? Fuck that!

 

Dazai: [Sniggers] You seem like the kind of person who pisses his pants at a haunted house.

 

Nosaka: [Angry] Shut up!

 

Dazai: Cool. I’m right, then.

 

**Everyone else stood around and watched - too intrigued to leave, save for Handa (who was just distracted). Rowena seemed to take on a more… overtly confident demeanor, now that everyone’s attention was turned to her. She gave those of us who had chosen to participate a sordid grin.**

 

Rowena: Now, please place your hand on the planchette, and we shall be able to begin.

 

**We all did as she said - though some more hesitantly than others.**

 

Rowena: Today, we have gathered to reestablish contact with those that we lost far too soon, in the hopes of seeking out information and atoning for the negligence for which we all share responsibility. Please, accept our welcome and join the circle once again.

 

Baisotei: That was very touching, Bathory-san.

 

Rowena: Silence, guarded one! You are interrupting the opening ritual.

 

Baisotei: [Dejected] …

 

Rowena: Now, then. Answer at your own disgression. Are there any spirits in the room with us?

 

**For a while, nothing happened. Those of us seated around the board cast awkward glances at each other, completely unsure of how to react to the lack of a reaction the board was exhibiting. The outside of the circle wasn’t much better - Crane yawned, Irie examined her fingernails, Handa dropped several pots and could be heard swearing faintly.**

 

**It was fortunate that Rowena didn’t seem to have any shame - if I were her, I would have been dying of embarrassment.**

 

Urogataya: …

 

Tachibana: …

 

Torisei: …

 

Dazai: …

 

Giselle: …

 

Murakami: BOO!  


Torisei: A-AAAAGHHH!

 

Rowena: Quiet down at once, you heathens! It may need a moment.

 

**As soon as she said that, the planchette slowly started to move.**

 

Urogataya: Oh my god!

 

Tachibana: [Delighted] Eeeee!

 

Nosaka: It’s actually workin’? Dammit! Now I gotta panhandle Noboru-kun’s dirty-ass underwear for a week!

 

Ando: When did you two start callin’ each other by your… first names?

 

Rowena: Please, cease your jibber-jabbering! I must concentrate.

 

Giselle: [Thinking] Jibber-jabbering…

 

**The planchette moved to the corner of the board and stopped abruptly, and we all peered through its hole at what it had landed on.**

 

Rowena: “Yes”… well, we have our answer.

 

Urogataya: Should we ask whose spirit it is?

 

Dazai: Does it matter? Maybe we got lucky and it’s some random mall worker from a century ago or something.

 

Irie: [Pensive] This building definitely wasn’t built a century ago.

 

Dazai: Can it, giraffe.

 

Urogataya: ...Alright. Does anyone want to go next?

 

Giselle: [Raises hand] A-ah, I would like to speak to kokkuri-san!

 

Murakami: That’s not even the thing we’re doing right now, LMAO.

 

Handa: Did you just say “LMAO” phonetically…?

 

Nosaka: Go back to your cookin’!

 

Handa: As if I weren’t going to do that anyway…

 

Rowena: Well, then. What is your query?

 

Giselle: [Thinking] Ahh… hmmm…

 

Rowena: ...I’ll let you think about it.

 

Murakami: Ohhh, I have a question! How gay is Yasuo-kun?

 

Rowena: [Infuriated] You cannot bother the spirits with such trivial questions as-

 

**Despite her protests, the planchette began to move. It didn’t slide towards “Yes” or “No” this time, but rather towards the array of English letters towards the bottom.**

 

Murakami: [Disgruntled] Ehhh, I can’t read English…

 

Urogataya: O-oh, I can.

 

Urogataya: E-X-T-R-E-M-E-L-Y… Extremely.

 

Murakami: I knew it!

 

Nosaka: Hey!

 

Ando: …

 

Watanabe: Ugh.

 

Baisotei: [Sighs]

 

Rowena: ...I d-do suppose that I am not one to question the higher powers…

 

Crane: Are you just making this up as you go along? There’s nothing wrong with that.

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] NO!

 

Torisei: U-uh, I don’t h-have a good feeling about this… n-not at all…

 

Irie: So you’ve said.

 

Tachibana: Oh, ohhh! I have a good idea for a question!

 

Tachibana: [Puts a finger to her chin] Kokkuri-san, who is the mastermind?

 

Watanabe: ...We’re still not doing kokkuri-san.

 

Baisotei: Considering the situation, that… is a very good question. Well done, Tachibana-san.

 

**The tension in the room was palpable as everyone’s eyes focused in on the ouija board. Handa even stopped working, though it seemed to be more out of boredom than out of actual interest. Even though I knew for a fact that I had nothing to do with our circumstances here, my stomach dropped. As I glanced around, it appeared that everyone was sweating bullets.**

 

**After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the planchette began its slow journey.**

 

Ando: Huh?

 

Torisei: O-oh!

 

**It made a grand total of three stops before coming to a rest. My stomach settled somewhat.**

 

Urogataya: I-D-K… “I don’t know”.

 

Dazai: [Examining her fingernails] Wow. Worst ghost ever.

 

Crane: To be fair, who knows when it died? Could have been waaaaay before this.

 

Irie: [Flatly] Ghosts aren’t real.

 

Rowena: INFIDEEEEEEL-

 

Handa: Pipe down!

 

Giselle: [Eyes sparkle] Ah, I have… question! I have one!

 

Nosaka: Oy! Spit it out, then!

 

Giselle: What… ah, where, yes, where…

 

Giselle: Where are we?

 

**The planchette began to move faster than it had previously, and everyone’s attention was turned towards it. This time, it made four stops before coming to a halt. I noticed Rowena’s face pale, but the burden of actually reading the message was on me.**

 

Urogataya: … “Hell”?

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] Wh-what.

 

Rowena: Ggh…! There is tampering afoot, I knew it!

 

Murakami: Bathory-san, wasn’t it you who said we had to trust in th-

 

Tachibana: Ohhh my gosh, it’s still moving!

 

**She pointed her other finger at the ouija board, and we all turned to see that she was right. It was moving much faster this time, and I struggled to keep up with its proclamation.**

 

**What I did see, though, made me gulp.**

 

Urogataya: “There… is… no… hope… for… you… here”.

 

Urogataya: Uh?

 

Tachibana: [Nervous] Like, what… does that mean…

 

Ando: [Pale, shaking] …

 

Watanabe: Oh. Well that’s. Something.

 

Baisotei: Come now, this is some kind of-

 

Torisei: N-NO!

 

**Startled, everyone turned to the mapmaker. His eyes were wide with fear.**

 

Torisei: [Points a finger] I s-said that we shouldn’t… have m-messed with ghosts…

 

Rowena: N-no! You’re not supposed to take your finger off of the planchette before we’ve put the spirit to rest! Who knows what you’ve done, now?!

 

Watanabe: This is a bad time for that.

 

Torisei: Uuu… we’re going to die! We’re going to-

 

**His eyes frantically darted across the room, scanning everyone else’s concerned expressions. Before we could say anything, though, he booked it. He straight up yanked his hand away from the planchette and ran out of the room, his scarves trailing behind him.**

 

Baisotei: [Shocked] Torisei-kun…!

 

Nosaka: Oh, geez.

 

Giselle: [Takes a chocolate bar out of her pocket and begins to nervously eat it] …

 

Handa: [Comes out of the kitchen] I don’t suppose that anyone wants any… oh.

 

**Rowena simply sat there, finger still pressed to the ouija board, in a state of shocked silence. For once, the dramatic girl was completely and utterly speechless.**

 

Urogataya: So, uh… what do we do now?

 

Dazai: Well, I know what _I’m_ going to do. I’m going to bed. This shit was a complete waste of time.

 

Murakami: Yeah, me too. Yasuo-kun, you’d better get to bed too. You’re gonna be up waaay early washing my dirty-ass underwear tomorrow.

 

Nosaka: [Clenching fist] Shut up!

 

**With that, the three of them walked off towards the dorms.**

 

Irie: …

 

Irie: [Turns head to the side] Goodnight.

 

**...Make that four.**

 

Handa: What am I supposed to do now? I made all of this food…

 

Handa: Ando-kun, you haven’t eaten all day. Do you want any?

 

Ando: ...I already said. I ain’t hungry.

 

**And then he walked off too. Five, then. I can’t keep up with these numbers!**

 

Watanabe: [Yawns] I’m tired. I haven’t had any of my… never mind. It’s not important.

 

Watanabe: See ya.

 

**How am I supposed to count all of these people??**

 

**As the moments went by, nearly everyone dispersed to go back to their rooms or do something else. The only people remaining in the Food Court were Handa (who was grumbling about wasted food and had already set about shoving what he’d made into tupperware containers), Rowena, who was still dejectedly sitting at the table, and Crane, who was awkwardly patting her back.**

 

Rowena: …

 

Crane: Ahh, Rowena-chan. It’s definitely not your fault that this happened. Torisei-kun was just-

 

Rowena: I know it wasn’t my fault.

 

Urogataya: ...Huh?

 

Rowena: [Looks up] The planchette was moving… strangely…

 

Rowena: I have done this before, but something was odd. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. And even if it wasn’t, the ritual wasn’t completed… there might still be…

 

Rowena: But then, what is…

 

**She trailed off, before going back to staring at the ouija board. The room became filled with silence once again.**

 

Urogataya: ...Oh, Crane-kun. Are you going to-

 

Crane: I think I should probably stay here. I don’t want to… you know…

 

**He gestured vaguely at Rowena, but I understood his meaning.**

 

Urogataya: Right, right. That’s good of you to do.

 

Urogataya: Take care, Crane-kun.

 

**I was about to go, when someone put a hand on my shoulder. I almost jumped, I was so startled.**

 

Handa: Before you go… I want you to have this.

 

**He handed me one of the containers.**

 

Handa: [Crosses arms] Maybe your taste in food will improve after you eat it.

 

Urogataya: H-hey, don’t knock my junk food!!

 

Handa: …

 

Handa: [Small smile] ...Heh. Goodnight, Urogataya-san.

 

 **As he walked away, I allowed myself one last backwards glance at the two stragglers. I really…** **_did_ ** **feel bad for Rowena. For someone so hammy, she’s not used to failure, is she?**

 

**Not wanting to think much of it any longer, I began the trek back to my dorm. The wheel by the fountain was unchanged since I had last seen it, but I expelled the nagging thoughts about it from my mind. Maybe I would worry about it later, but not now.**

 

 

**When I got back to my room, I realized just how hungry I was - I had actually barely eaten anything! Sighing, I cracked open the tupperware and began to eat. The food was indescribably good. You know how being wrapped in a warm hug feels? That’s how it tasted.**

 

**...Well, whatever. That metaphor didn’t work.**

 

**As I ate, I recalled the book I had found in the bookstore earlier. It still intrigued me… Tomorrow, I decided, I should go check it out again. Maybe this time, I would bring someone along who might know something about it. Irie was with me when I discovered the book, maybe I would seek her out.**

 

**Suddenly, the speakers crackled.**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Attention students!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 10 PM. “Night Time” begins now.

 

Monokuma: Goooood night! Don’t let the murderers bite!

 

**...God, I still hate that stupid bear.**

 

**The food eaten, I entered a deep, easy slumber. It was the first one I’d had since I’d arrived.**

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: You know, I was thinking about death recently. I think about it a lot!

 

Monokuma: And what I was especially thinking about was the iconography behind death. What’s up with that?

 

Monokuma: Death, in most cultures, is depicted as a skeleton guy.

 

Monokuma: Sometimes he has a cape, sometimes he has a sc-

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**THUD!**

 

**………………**

 

**…………………….**

 

Urogataya: ….Huh?

 

**I sat up in bed. The room was pitch black - I could barely even see my hands or any of the furniture surrounding me. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I looked up - or, at least, what I assumed was up.**

 

**I swear that I heard a noise…**

 

**Oh, well. It’s probably nothing.**

 

**With that, I went back to sleep - though, with not as much ease as before.**

 

**\-------------------------**

 

Monokuma: -ythe, and all that jazz.

 

Monokuma: But what I want to know, is… why?

 

Monokuma: I mean, when was the last time that anyone was killed by a cloak-wearing skeleton?

 

Monokuma: That’s certainly not something that happens today!

 

**\-------------------------**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I say students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. It’s time to start the day!

 

Monokuma: ...Get up, you lazy bastards. And if you just hide in your room, you’re only prolonging your inevitable death! Upupupu!

 

 

**I barely even remembered waking up the previous night when I opened my eyes. I squinted up at the ceiling for a few minutes before hurrying to get dressed and ready. I had to get ahold of Irie early, since she was so hard to approach most of the time.**

 

**After pulling on my stockings, uniform, and boots, I was out the door. Without glancing at any of the other dorms, I dashed towards the one with the pixelated portrait of the architect on it and banged on it as hard as I could.**

 

**After a few knocks, the door slowly creaked open. I sometimes forgot just how tall Irie was, but she stared down at me from the doorway.**

 

Irie: ...Urogataya. Have the Scots invaded?

 

Urogataya: Uhhhh, no?

 

Irie: [Unamused] Then you have no reason to pound on my door like that.

 

**She went to shut it, but I grabbed the edge before she could do so and forced it back open.**

 

Urogataya: I-Irie-san! I came to request something of you.

 

Irie: [Intrigued] ...Oh.

 

Urogataya: I found something… interesting, in the bookstore. It was a few days ago, and I didn’t tell anybody… you remember that book, right? So I went to go look at it, and I don’t really understand it. I was wondering if you could-

 

Irie: Look at it with you?

 

Urogataya: Y-yes, pretty much.

 

Irie: …

 

Urogataya: …….

 

Irie: ……….

 

Urogataya: ...Uh, I guess I’ll be going n-

 

Irie: No, no. Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll come along.

 

Urogataya: R-really? Thank you!

 

**Wow, that was harder than I expected it to be.**

 

 

**Irie emerged from her room a few minutes later, face fully made up this time. It felt weird having her follow me around, but I wasn’t objecting to it at all. After all, this was what I wanted in the first place. The two of us made our way up the escalator and over to the bookstore.**

 

**When we got there, though… we were greeted with… something.**

 

Urogataya: E-eh?

 

Irie: [Hand over mouth] What on earth…

 

**Towards the back of the bookstore was a complete and total mess. Books shoved everywhere… and a pair of feet, just barely visible behind a bookshelf.**

 

**My eyes fell upon the book I was going to show Irie, still sitting safe and sound on the front table. It was still absolutely important, but for now… I was going to have to ignore it.**

 

**Hesitantly, I walked behind the bookshelf…**

 

**…**

 

**……….**

 

**………….**

 

**If you had asked me just last night, I would have said that the danger of the situation we were in was all but gone. Everyone was getting along just fine, aside from occasional ragging. No one was going to kill anyone.**

 

**No one was going to kill anyone.**

 

**No one was go- ah, fuck it. Fuck it! You already know what happened, why am I saying this!**

 

**Amidst the pile of books was a person. A steady stream of dried blood marked their clothes, their neck…**

 

**Their neck. There was a hole in their neck.**

 

**But despite the fact that the wound was enough to make me suck my breath in, it was not enough to render me unable to determine the identity of the victim.**

 

**His eyes were shut, as if he were sleeping, but there were no good dreams that awaited Samuru Torisei.**

 

**God. Fucking. Dammit.**

 

**_CHAPTER 2: GIVING RISE TO THE GOLEM_ **

 

**_(AB)NORMAL DAYS: END_ **

 

**_13 Students Remain_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh......yeah feel free to dump ur theories here  
> All comments are much appreciated. Thank you!


	16. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 6)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh worm?  
> Sorry this took so long... I got a job this summer, and I've been busy with online classes.   
> Wrote this in a new format, so hopefully it's less of a mess than the last investigation.

**_50% OFF SALE - ABNORMAL DAYS_ **

 

**I found myself standing there in that bookstore, surrounded on all sides by a mess of books. But the books didn’t matter. What mattered was the corpse shoved against the bookshelf in the back of the store, looking as terrible as it did when I first saw it. A few minutes had passed, and Irie had ran to get help - but no matter what I did, I couldn’t move my feet.**

 

**Do you know what it’s like to feel like a failure? I mean, just a few hours ago, I was judging the guy for being kind of a priss. But things are a lot different when the person who you were judging is dead on the floor right in front of you.**

 

**In the distant corners of my mind, I could hear approaching footsteps and shouts…**

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chan? What are you-

 

Tachibana: Eh…

 

Tachibana: [Shocked] aaaAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

 

**I turned around, but before anyone had the chance to say anything else-**

 

*Ding-dong, ding-dong*

 

**The PA system crackled to life, filled with a voice that I had been hoping to forget.**

 

Monokuma: A body has been discovered! 

 

Monokuma: After a brief period of investigation, we will commence our school trial! 

 

Urogataya: Wha-

 

Dazai: [Leery] Yo, what were you doing just standing here. Did you kill him? If you did… wow. You suck at covering your tracks.

 

Urogataya: I didn’t kill him! 

 

Dazai: That’s what everyone says.

 

Ando: D-Dazai-san… 

 

Irie: [Crosses arms] Urogataya-san was the first to discover the body. Whether or not she is the murderer… remains uncertain, but I believe everyone has an equal chance of being it at the moment. 

 

Tachibana: Even you?

 

Irie: Not me.

 

Dazai: That’s what they aaaaaall say.

 

Crane: HEY, GUYS? SOMEONE JUST DIED. CAN WE STOP THE BANTER FOR TWO SECONDS, MAYBE?

 

**As a quiet fell over the bookstore, more people began to arrive - likely drawn in by whatever had just played over the loudspeaker. What was that, anyway? Now wasn’t the time to ask.**

 

Giselle: [Teary-eyed] S-Samuru!

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] Curses! I was fraught with the possibility that something strange had occurred, but now I see that I was indeed correct! The logic of Rowena Christine St. Bathory, mistress of the night, is infallible!

 

Watanabe: Okay.

 

**I see she’s back to normal, at least.**

 

Handa: [Clenched teeth] It would have to happen again, and to someone who caused so little trouble… 

 

Handa: Completely inexcusable.

 

Urogataya: Well, yeah… murder kind of… is inexcusable… y’know… 

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] Uwaah, I’m just so… Torisei-kun… 

 

Baisotei: …….Oh, dear. I’m so… I’m so sorry.

 

**Even** **_she_ ** **didn’t seem sure of who she was apologizing to, but… it was as if it needed to be said. Maybe we should have all apologized to Torisei, for letting him down and failing to protect him.**

 

**We should have, but everyone was too occupied with voicing their other thoughts.**

 

Nosaka: Dammit!! Our token twink is gone, and now we’re stuck with a roomful of bears!! The fuckin’ balance has been broken!

 

Watanabe: You’re not a bear.

 

Monokuma: [Appears] But  _ I _ am!

 

Nosaka: Ah?

 

Nosaka: [Frightened expression] AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! I DON’T LIKE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAAAAAAAAT!

 

Giselle: [Shocked expression] Oh! The bear! 

 

Monokuma: Well, it took you rat bastards long enough! I was getting soooo bored. You can only stare at a carpet so long it starts looking like it’s moving for so long, you know! 

 

Baisotei: [Angered] You… You treat this like a game.

 

Monokuma: Life’s a game! Get used to it.

 

Baisotei: Why, I-!!

 

Crane: [Sighs] I’m going to try to get the obvious out of the way right now, at least.

 

Crane: Monokuma didn’t do it, did he?

 

Monokuma: Nope! Like I said, I’m not killin’ anyone. Can’t afford to get my claws dirty. It was most deeeeefinitely one of you.

 

Murakami: [Smug] Way to go, genius. 

 

Crane: Worth a shot.

 

Urogataya: F-forget that! What was that, just now?

 

**At that question, everyone looked at me with a confused expression. Whoops! Looks like I messed up. Either I’m dumb as hell, or… yeah, probably dumb as hell.**

 

Giselle: [Inquisitive expression] Ah, Rumi was…  _ komatös _ at time of last announcement, yes?

 

Handa: I would not go so far as to say she was that.

 

Rowena: Why, she was dead!

 

Watanabe: That’s even less correct.

 

Baisotei: You passed out last time, so you didn’t hear it. In essence, there’s a-

 

Monokuma: Hey, heyyyy! I’m the one doing the explanation around here, y’know! 

 

Monokuma: I’m the only one cute enough to do that!

 

Tachibana: You’re not cute!

 

Monokuma: Anyway, every time one of you kids kicks the bucket, the BDA plays! What do you think that stands for?

 

Murakami: Booty destroyers anonymous.

 

Monokuma: … 

 

Monokuma: I expect nothing, and yet I still get less.

 

Monokuma: Iiiiiiit’s the Body Discovery Announcement! Your handy dandy guide to when someone’s died.

 

Monokuma: And speaking of handy-dandy guides, I have another one riiiiight here for you all. It’s the long awaited sequel that’ll have everyone on the edge of their seats, theeeeeeeee Monokuma File!!

 

**Before anyone could say anything, all of our pockets collectively beeped. Pulling out my ElectroID, I noticed that a new tab had been added: “Monokuma File 2”.**

 

**Damn it, I guess my hopes that there wouldn’t be another one didn’t work. I considered hoping for another one, in the off chance that, in some reverse psychology scenario, it would never happen - but it was hopeless.**

 

Crane: You… sure do enjoy making these.

 

Monokuma: It’s as cathartic as doing an adult coloring book! You should really try it sometime. 

 

Crane: [Sweating] I think I’m good?

 

Irie: [Pensive] If I remember correctly, if the murderer gets away with it, we are all executed… quite the motivator, there. 

 

Monokuma: Right you are, giraffe-chan! Anyway, I’m gonna scram. Have fun playing Sherlock, kiddies!

 

Rowena: Wait! You demon-

 

**With that, he spun around once and vanished into the air. We all just stared at the empty, bear-shaped hole where he once had been, wondering how exactly he had just teleported.**

 

**Oh yeah, there was still a dead body in the back of the bookstore. Yikes!**

 

Murakami: [Yawns] Can I be real here? I thought that Sherlock was a shitty show.

 

Baisotei: [Points] Now is CERTAINLY not the time for that, Murakami-kun.

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] Curses! I nearly caught him in the binding spell I had placed over this entire mall!

 

Handa: I beg your… what?

 

Tachibana: Oh, oh! Can you teach me how to do that?

 

Rowena: It requires a blood sacrifice of the highest order.

 

Tachibana: [Sweating] Never mind~!

 

Baisotei: [Crossed arms] We need someone to guard the body, to make sure it doesn’t get tampered with. I will take that position. Is anyone else interested?

 

Handa: Oh, can-

 

Ando: [Pale] I’ll do it. 

 

Tachibana: Awww, that’s so nice of you, Ando-kun!

 

Ando: [Pale] Well, ‘s the least I can do for the little guy, right?

 

Nosaka: Fuck outta here with that sentimental bullcrap! There’s a goddamn dead body here! Now ain’t the time for you to be playin’ the hero, Ando!

 

Ando: [Confused] Was that pun intentional?

 

Nosaka: NO!!!!

 

**Why did this group always lose focus…?**

 

Urogataya: Okay, guys. We can do this, bad puns or not.

 

Urogataya: Let’s… Let’s solve a murder!!

 

Dazai: [Disinterested] Sure.

 

Irie: [Examining fingernails] Okay.

 

Handa: [Pensive] Right.

 

Urogataya: G-guys..!!

  
  


**INVESTIGATION START!**

 

**Alright, it’s time… as much as I wished it wasn’t.**

 

**Steeling myself, I turned to check Torisei’s dead-**

 

Crane: [Determined] Urogataya-chan!

 

Urogataya: E-eh?

 

Crane: [Concerned] Oh, sorry if I interrupted something. You seemed pretty lost in thought.

 

Urogataya: No, it’s fine. Nothing too important, anyway. Is something wrong?

 

Crane: No, nothing at all! Aside from… well, the obvious.

 

Crane: But I wanted to ask you something.

 

Urogataya: Hm? Ask away, then.

 

Crane: Well, I was thinking… do you want to investigate with me?

 

**Somehow, that wasn’t the question I was expecting. What is this, some kind of date?**

 

Urogataya: What…? You mean… 

 

Crane: Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. I just figure that this would be a lot easier if we did it in a group, but everyone always goes off on their own. 

 

Crane: [Thinking] And someone else is probably the murderer, so that could be risky… but I know you’re not that person. 

 

Urogataya: Well, how do I know that  _ you’re _ not the murderer? I wanna trust you, I just have to be sure.

 

Crane: I sat with Rowena-chan for a couple hours in the cafeteria, since she was inconsolable last night. 

 

Crane: [Thinking] There was a weird noise I heard just before I left, but I’m not sure she heard it… 

 

Crane: [Smile] But if you ask her, she could tell you.

 

**Wait, what did he just say?**

 

Urogataya: You heard a weird noise, too? I thought that was just me!

 

Crane: It was distant, but yeah. Now that I think about it, it probably came from here… but I’m not sure.

 

Crane: [Smile] So, we both know that we’re innocent. Will you investigate with me?

 

**I mulled over it for a few minutes. Investigating last time was a little disjointed and impractical… plus, it would be useful to have someone to bounce my theories off of. I decided to let my guard down, just this once.**

 

Urogataya: Sure! Sounds… well, I would say great, but nothing about this situation is really that great.

 

Crane: [Sweating] Yeah. That sounds about right.

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Crane’s Alibi] _

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Strange Noise] _

  
  
  


**With Crane in tow, I could finally begin investigating. Scanning the room, I noticed a few places that seemed pretty off, but first… time to procrastinate having to look in any of them! Yay!**

 

**My ElectroID still sat between my fingers where I had left it before, so I pressed the button and watched the screen spring to life. I quickly scrolled away from my own ID and tapped on the new tab. Once again, there was a photo of the area I was currently in, as well as a short description of the damage. A diagram of the dead cartographer stared up at me, similar to the one that had appeared on Arakawa’s file. But it was largely untouched, save for one circular red dot that marked his neck.**

 

_ The victim is Samuru Torisei. The body was found in the bookstore at 7:46 AM by Rumi Urogataya, Kurenai Irie, and Minami Tachibana. _

 

_ Cause of death was blood loss due to a puncture in the carotid artery. There are no other injuries on the body. There are no traces of poison or drugs.  _

 

_ The time of death was approximately 12:04 AM. _

 

Urogataya: G-god, he’s been up here for… what, a few hours?

 

Crane: [Thinking] Yeah. Everyone must have been asleep, right? Everyone… except for the killer. 

 

Urogataya: Yeah. 

 

**There was a moment of silence as we both scanned the file for anything useful or strange.**

 

Crane: If there were no other injuries on the dude’s body, there must have not been as much of a struggle as the one that Arakawa-chan put up. Always thought he was a frail type, but… 

 

Crane: [Frown] Sorry. It’s not good to speak ill of the dead. 

 

Urogataya: I mean, you’re not wrong. 

 

Urogataya: So the cause of death itself seems pretty straightforward… I guess all that’s left is the who, why, and how.

 

Crane: Mhmm. 

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Monokuma File 2] _

  
  


**The time came for my least favorite part of any investigation: the body. My only solace was that Torisei wasn’t someone I was particularly close with… and the fact that there were two people guarding the body who I could talk to before investigating. Hooray for stalling!**

 

**God, the body smells awful…**

 

_ [Talk to Baisotei] _

 

Baisotei: [Eyes closed] ……….

 

Urogataya: ……….

 

Crane: Oy, Baisotei-chan. How goes it?

 

Baisotei: Oh, hello. I was just thinking… 

 

Baisotei: [Crossed arms] Earlier on, Torisei-kun spoke of how he wanted to go to Novoselic to map out its seldom-explored areas after attending Hope’s Peak.

 

Baisotei: [Clenched fist] To deny someone of a dream they were so passionate about… what kind of person  _ is _ this murderer?!

 

Urogataya: I mean, any murderer is probably kind of a bad person, right?

 

Crane: I’d argue the contrary. Goto-kun just seemed kind of misguided.

 

Crane: [Curious expression] Anyway, I had a question.

 

Baisotei: Hm? Ask away.

 

Crane: As a bodyguard, you’d have to know a lot about… killing, and stuff.

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Urogataya: To fend off assassination attempts, and whatnot! We’re not accusing you. 

 

Crane: I dunno if you looked at the Monokuma File, but… about how long does it take for someone to bleed out through their carotid artery?

 

**Baisotei thought to herself for a minute before answering.**

 

Baisotei: If I remember correctly, it can be anywhere from a few seconds to about two minutes. 

 

Urogataya: I’m surprised that you know all this… 

 

Crane: Right. Thanks, Baisotei-chan. You’re a real big help. 

 

**She nodded, and returned to sitting there with her eyes gently closed.**

 

Urogataya: ...This has been affecting her a lot, hasn’t it? I can tell.

 

Crane: [Nods] Mmhm. It’s amazing that she even volunteered to guard the body. 

 

**For now, at least, the timeframe of Torisei’s death has been confirmed… but does that really mean much of anything? We still don’t know a lot about the circumstances, after all.**

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Carotid Artery Info] _

  
  


_ [Talk to Ando] _

 

Ando: [Pale] … 

 

**When we approached him, the guy seemed completely lost in thought. Honestly, that… doesn’t seem like a good position for someone who volunteered to guard a body to be in.**

 

Crane: Hi, Ando-kun. 

 

Ando: … 

 

Crane: Dude?

 

Ando: … 

 

Urogataya: BOO! 

 

Ando: [Frightened] AUGH! 

 

**Well, that got his attention…**

 

Urogataya: Sorry about that. You okay, man?

 

Ando: [Neutral] Yeah, m’fine. Sorry about that.

 

Ando: I keep thinkin’ about what Monokuma said. About th’ motive, and all.

 

**Oh, yeah. I had nearly forgotten the wheel - the secret I got from it was so mundane that it didn’t occur to me that it would be a factor. All it did for me was give me something to lord over Nosaka if I ever needed to.**

 

Crane: Right, right. I think that’s definitely a factor in this whole thing. 

 

Urogataya: Ando-kun, did you use the wheel? I think trying to figure out who did and who didn’t might be helpful here.

 

**Also, it might explain why he’s been acting so weird.**

 

Ando: … 

 

Ando: [Looking off to the side] Lyin’ won’t do me any good. I used it.

 

Ando: Secret I got wasn’t the l’il guy’s, though. 

 

Crane: [Thinking] So chances are, the killer either killed over getting Torisei-kun’s secret, or because Torisei-kun got their secret… this is gonna be confusing.

 

Urogataya: You’ve got that right, unfortunately.

 

**Still, I wonder whose secret Ando got. What could make someone so paranoid??**

  
  


**In spite of my attempts at stalling, there was nothing left to do than inspect the body. At least Torisei’s eyes were closed this time, so I didn’t have to have his cadaver staring at me like Arakawa’s was… that was, like, the opposite of fun.**

 

_ [Examine Torisei] _

 

**Gently, I pulled aside his scarf to expose the hole in his neck. I tried not to stare deep into it - just the sight of it was already making me queasy.**

 

Crane: [Thinking] Looks like the Monokuma File was accurate about the injuries… 

 

Urogataya: This sounds awful, but it’s too bad there’s no other things on the body we could use to determine anything else about the case.

 

Crane: [Downtrodden] You’re right. That  _ does _ sound awful.

 

Urogataya: Ouch… 

 

_ [Examine book] _

 

Urogataya: Eh??

 

**Sprawled right in front of Torisei, just inches away from his slightly opened hand, was a fairly large tome that looked like a textbook. It was opened to a page somewhere in the middle, and a dry, silver pen sat squarely between the pages.**

 

Crane: Not exactly light reading, huh. 

 

Crane: [Thinking] It’s an atlas. A book of maps. 

 

Urogataya: Ah, I see. That’s… morbidly fitting… 

 

Urogataya: Do you think he came up here to study before he was killed? 

 

Crane: That could be the case.

 

Crane: [Smiles] You ever heard about the explorer who traveled the world using a picture of his wife’s eyes as a map?

 

Urogataya: I don’t think so. That doesn’t even make sense, really.

 

Crane: He said he needed a map of ‘em because he always got lost in them.

 

Monokuma: [Appears] aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAああああああああああ

 

Urogataya: AAAAAAAAAAAA?!

 

Crane: WAIT, WHY ARE WE SCREAMING????

 

Monokuma: Well,  _ excuuuuse _ me for sparing her from your awful jokes. Get a better sense of humor! Ever heard of schadenfreude?

 

Crane: Actually, yes.

 

Urogataya: What do you want, anyway? Did you come to tell us something cryptic about this book? 

 

Monokuma: Your logic in everything but fashion proves right yet again, Urogataya-chan! 

 

**Hey, I spent a lot of money on this outfit!**

 

Monokuma: We don’t sell textbooks here. Do you know how crazy expensive those things are, these days? Just stocking them would put us in debt!

 

Monokuma: ...That includes atlases, by the way.

 

Urogataya: W-wait, so where did he-

 

Monokuma: Well, I’ve fulfilled my usefulness quota for now. Smell ya later!

 

**With that, the bear vanished - once again, leaving far more questions than answers.**

 

Crane: [Dejected] Well, we found out one thing, at least. One extremely esoteric thing… 

 

Urogataya: But it’s still a thing! 

 

Crane: Yeah, still a thing.

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Atlas] _

  
  


_ [Examine map] _

 

**I decided to take a look at the contents of the book itself - more specifically, the page it was opened to.**

 

**Knowing it was an atlas, I was definitely expecting a map, but I wasn’t at all sure what kind of map - at the very least, it was one I recognized.**

 

Urogataya: If Torisei-kun’s traveled the world, what was he doing looking at a map of Japan? Seems like it’d be baby stuff for him.

 

Crane: [Thinking] True, but I don’t think we can take anything here at face value. This might have been deliberate. Maybe it has meaning?

 

Urogataya: Geez, you sound like my literature teacher… 

 

Urogataya: ...Hey, wait a second. Something’s weird about this map.

 

Crane: What do you mean?

 

**I don’t know, does he have eyes?**

 

**...That was rude.**

 

Urogataya: There’s a weird ink smudge on this page… right over Kagawa prefecture. 

 

Crane: This seems pretty minor, but I’m sure it’s important.

 

Urogataya: Ugh, why couldn’t he have just written his killer’s name in blood or something? Would have saved us a ton of trouble.

 

Crane: [Shocked] U-urogataya-chan… 

 

Urogataya: Hey, I was joking! I was… kidding? Yeah!

 

Crane: That’s a relief, at least.

 

**I wish I could keep my mouth shut, ugh…**

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Ink Smudge] _

  
  


**At least the body was finally over and done with, but the rest of the crime scene still remained. Despite the bookstore’s size, the majority of it seemed to be concentrated towards the back of the area, where Torisei’s body still lay.**

 

**Watanabe was back near the fallen bookshelf, examining some of the books that had fallen over.**

 

[Talk to Watanabe]

 

Watanabe: [Neutral] …. 

 

Urogataya: Are you investigating too, Watanabe-kun?

 

Watanabe: [Yawns] I’m really just staring off into space. It’s just directed at an object so people will think I’m doing something.

 

Urogataya: ...Oh.

 

Crane: Well, have you noticed anything else while doing that?

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Watanabe: [Turns away] No.

 

Watanabe: I’m tired… 

 

Urogataya: Me too, big guy. Me too. 

 

_ [Examine bookshelf] _

 

**From a distance, it looked like a normal bookshelf - it was made of light wood. The books it housed were scattered around inside and in front of it. Judging by how long it was, it would probably loom over me if it was upright.**

 

Crane: [Curious] Do you think the books  _ on _ the shelf hold any kind of clue? That could be likely. 

 

Urogataya: I mean, they could… it might be worth checking out.

 

Watanabe: Nah. I looked through them earlier. There’s probably some joke I could make about him dying in the section with the self-help books but I’m not about that.

 

**At least someone here respects the dead…**

 

Watanabe: There is something weird here, though. 

 

Urogataya: Is there? Seems like a normal bookshelf to me… 

 

Watanabe: [Crosses arms] Go over there and push that one. 

 

**Hesitantly, I followed his direction and walked over to a shelf a safe distance away from the body. It was filled with back issues of magazines.**

 

**I gave it a gentle shove, and…**

 

_ CRASH!! _

 

Urogataya: OH MY GOD?

 

Crane: W-was that necessary?! What  _ was _ that, anyway?

 

Watanabe: [Yawns] Think about it. It’s a bookshelf. Urogataya shouldn’t be able to knock one over with just a tap. 

 

Urogataya: Maybe this is just because I worked out the other day. Maybe I’m really strong now…! 

 

Watanabe: [Looking off to the side] … 

 

Crane: I guess a good starting point would be to figure out what these are made of, huh.

 

Monokuma: [Appears] I can answer that! Upupupu!

 

Urogataya: Wow, you’re being a lot more useful than you were last time.

 

Monokuma: That froggy idiot’s case was so simple, I could have solved it in my sleep!

 

Monokuma: But I didn’t, because I was doing important bear things.

 

Watanabe: So are you going to tell us what these are made of or not.

 

Monokuma: That I am! These bookshelves are made of… balsa wood!

 

Crane: …? 

 

Urogataya: I’m sorry, I don’t really… know what’s significant about that… 

 

Watanabe: [Eyes closed] Oh. I remember this. Used to dabble in carpentry… 

 

Watanabe: [Thinking] Balsa wood is lightweight but strong. It can support weight but isn’t very heavy. Anyone can knock it down.

 

Crane: Wait, why would you build bookshelves out of these? Seems pretty impractical.

 

Monokuma: Auuugh, don’t ask me! Money is tight nowadays, we don’t have any funds to buy fancy furniture!

 

Monokuma: Now, I have to get going. If you kids bother me for some investigation detail one more time, there’ll be hell to pay!

 

**Monokuma walked behind the fallen bookshelf somehow, and vanished without a trace.**

 

Urogataya: But we… didn’t even ask him, that time.

 

Watanabe: [Shrugs] The bear does what he wants.

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Balsa Wood Bookshelf] _

  
  


**Over on the other side of the store, Nosaka and Murakami were examining several magazines laid out haphazardly on a table. Despite the fact that I knew that none of what those guys were doing was good news, I approached them anyway.**

 

_ [Talk to Murakami/Nosaka] _

 

Murakami: [Thinking] “Change your life in 31 days: lose 31 pounds for your big day”

 

Nosaka: [Eyes closed] “Younger, prettier, happier: natural anti-aging breakthroughs for the working woman”

 

Murakami: “Fresh and easy recipes to make your brunch a success”

 

Urogataya: ….What are you clowns doing.

 

Nosaka: [Grin] Do people actually read these? They’re fuckin’ dumb. Who the hell in here would be lookin’ at housewife magazines?

 

Murakami: My prediction: someone here’s gonna rip off the skin suit they’re wearing to reveal that they were a 40-year-old PTA mom all along. 

 

Nosaka: Oh,  _ duuuuude _ . My bet’s on Handa-kun for that one.

 

Crane: … 

 

Urogataya: … 

 

**They’re being useless as ever, it seems…**

 

_ [Examine magazines] _

 

**They weren’t wrong about the contents of these magazines, at the very least - they seem to be filled with corny articles about weight loss, recipes, and fashion that doesn’t at all follow any current youth trends. One of the issues appears to be a wedding special, having several features about dresses and the editors’ personal marriage stories.**

 

Urogataya: I visited the bookstore before… these weren’t here. I think if you asked Irie-san or Giselle-san, they would be able to vouch for that… 

 

Crane: Hmm. This rabbit hole just gets deeper and deeper, doesn’t it?

 

**Out of curiosity, I flipped through the pages of one of the magazines…**

 

Urogataya: ??!?!?!?!?

 

Murakami: [Hand on hip] What the hell was that noise you made just now?

 

Crane: Did you find something, Urogataya-chan?

 

Urogataya: Actually, yeah. I did.

 

Urogataya: A lot of these pages have parts cut out of them! Words, letters… Augh, doesn’t seem to be in any particular pattern, though.

 

Nosaka: [Smirk] Someone probably wrote a ransom note or somethin’, then. That seems like the likeliest answer. 

 

Crane: [Sighs] It seems likely for you to know something like that… 

 

Nosaka: Ahaha, you bet your ass! I got taken hostage by a yakuza crime lord once for sellin’ him a gimpy Hawaiian timeshare. Took a helluva lot to get out of that one. 

 

Crane: [Shocked] That… wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I thought you were the one writing the ransom note…

 

**And he said it so casually, too…**

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Housekeeping Magazines] _

  
  


**Tachibana was standing near another table, scrutinizing the floor.**

 

_ [Talk to Tachibana] _

 

Tachibana: [Thinking] Mmmm… Hmmmmm… Mmmhhmmmm… 

 

Urogataya: Hey there, Tachibana-san. Are you workin’ hard, or hardly workin’?

 

Tachibana: [Determined] Working hard, I hope! Poor Torisei-kun, right? He was gonna tell me about how Congolese couples aren’t allowed to smile the day before their wedding day. I wonder why they do that?

 

Crane: Sounds hard, honestly.

 

Tachibana: [Pointing] I think that if it’s easy for a couple to do that, then maybe they shouldn’t be getting married. You should be in love with someone who makes you smile, right?

 

Urogataya: I think you’re getting seriously off-track here… 

 

Tachibana: [Hands on cheeks] Ohmygosh, you’re right! Soooooooooorry!! 

 

_ [Examine slip of paper] _

 

**The table Tachibana was standing near was empty, save for a folded strip of paper that sat placidly on its edge. I immediately recognized it, and it filled me with dread.**

 

Crane: Are you okay? You suddenly started looking sick.

 

Urogataya: I-I’m fine, I think. This is a secret strip… you know, the kind you get from spinning Monokuma’s Wheel of Doom.

 

Crane: … 

 

Crane: [Finger to chin] That implies you used it, Urogataya-chan.

 

**Oops…**

 

Urogataya: I did, but I don’t think the secret I got is relevant to this case, like, in any capacity. Sorry to disappoint.

 

Crane: Well, we can read this one, at least. Maybe it’s Torisei-kun’s?

 

**He unfolded the paper and began to read aloud.**

 

Crane:  _ “The real reason that Minami Tachibana-” _

 

Tachibana: [Shocked] EEEEEEYAAAAAAAAGHH!!

 

**Before he could finish reading it, Tachibana swiped it out of his hand with reflexes that I would have expected from a martial artist.**

 

Urogataya: Eehhh?! Tachibana-san, what-

 

Tachibana: I-i-it’s nothing! Absolutely nothing, ahahaha!!

 

Tachibana: [Pale] I gotta go, bye!

 

**All we could do was watch helplessly as Tachibana ran out of the store, bumping into several tables as she went.**

 

Crane: [Sweating] … 

 

Urogataya: …… 

 

Crane: ……… 

 

Urogataya: …………Well, that was weird.

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Tachibana’s Secret] _

  
  


[Examine floor]

 

**Before I went to examine somewhere else, I took a closer look at the floor that Tachibana had been so intently looking at. At first, it seemed like nothing was there… but then, my eyes fell upon something.**

 

**I picked it up and stared at the object between my fingers: a single white hair.**

 

Urogataya: H-hey, Omiata-kun. No one here has white hair, right…? 

 

Crane: [Sighs] I don’t think so. Irie-chan’s hair is grey. Plus, that doesn’t look like a human hair.

 

**...I don’t like where this is going. Not one bit.**

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: White Hair] _

  
  


[Talk to Irie]

 

**Irie was standing over by the display of pens and stationery that we had been looking at a few days before. The expression on her face told me that something was strange…**

 

Irie: [Thinking] How peculiar. It appears our culprit may be some kind of artist.

 

Urogataya: Well, how do you think that? 

 

Irie: See for yourself.

 

**She gestured at the pen part of the display, and something caught my eye.**

 

Urogataya: Two empty cases… hm. 

 

Crane: Well, judging by the size and shape of Torisei-kun’s wound, it’s likely this would be the murder weapon, right?

 

Urogataya: Yeah, the cases seem to be for the same kind of pen. I’d bet anything that one of them is the one in the atlas he was holding.

 

Irie: I suppose that makes sense. But why would there be two missing?

 

Irie: Nothing else seems touched, either… not the stationery, or even the scissors.

 

Urogataya: He only had one wound, so… yeah, makes sense. 

 

**Ugh, why does this case have to be so confusing? Where did the other pen go?**

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Empty Pen Cases] _

  
  


Crane: Seems like we’ve exhausted everything in the bookstore… ugh, we’re still not any closer to anything. 

 

Urogataya: Maybe we should go check out his room, or something? After all, he did run in that direction after the seance last night. It would make sense for something to be there.

 

Crane: [Grimacing] Yeah, let’s go.

  
  


**Before we could start heading in that general direction, though, we were interrupted by a commotion right outside of the store. Three people were standing there, and one of them was yelling…**

 

**...It was exactly who you might think would be yelling.**

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] I swear it! I am no heathen, I speak the truth! I, the great Rowena Christine St. Bathory, mistress of the night and servant of the great Anubis, have key information!

 

Dazai: [Leery] Hey, shut up. How are we supposed to trust you, anyway? You keep changing your titles every time we talk. That’s untrustworthy.

 

Dazai: Plus, you’re some kind of looney tune to begin with.

 

Rowena: Quiet, you nonbeliever! I will  _ smite _ thee! 

 

Giselle: [Nervous] Aha, Rowena… is being… a bit  _ komisch _ … 

 

Rowena: [Triumphant] Impossible! Why, I don’t know the meaning of the word! 

 

**Good to see that this is affecting her as much as it normally does. Actually, the three of them don’t really seem that fazed to begin with…**

 

[Talk to Giselle]

 

Giselle: Rowena say she know something… 

 

Giselle: Is good, then. Because I know nothing. Haha!

 

[Talk to Dazai]

 

Dazai: What kind of evidence even  _ is _ that? If you’re implying what I think you’re implying, you’re weirder than I thought. And that’s no small feat.

 

[Talk to Rowena]

 

Rowena: [Pointing] Omiata! My faithful servant! You, and the fragrant one, will hear me out!

 

Crane: Your  _ what _ …? 

 

Urogataya: Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to listen. What did you find, Rowena-san?

 

Rowena: [Crossed arms] Well, ‘twas not so much as what I had found as what I had experienced merely the night before. 

 

Rowena: [Thinking] During last night’s seance, the movement of the planchette… seemed very peculiar! Only the darkest forces could have made it done so! 

 

Rowena: And by that, I do not mean vengeful ghosts! I have dealt with such before!

 

Dazai: … I was right. You  _ are _ crazy.

 

Giselle: [Thinking] So you do think that someone tampered with the ouija board’s planchette? Is that what you are trying to say?

 

Rowena: AHAHAH! Exactly! The foreigner understands my point.

 

Crane: Hey, Giselle-chan. That was really good! Your Japanese is getting better.

 

Giselle: … 

 

Giselle: [Bashful] Awawa, do not know what you’re saying… 

 

Urogataya: ...Huh.

 

Rowena: [Dramatic pose] But please, I implore you, consider my point of evidence! It could change this entire case, I know it! 

 

Urogataya: Alright, I guess. Thanks, Rowena-san!

 

Dazai: [Hand to face] Not you, too. Uuuuuggghhhh. 

 

**At this point in a case, any evidence helps, really… I should at least consider what she said.**

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Rowena’s Testimony] _

  
  


**After that interruption, Crane and I made our way downstairs to the dorms. I had expected the hallway to be empty, with everyone else having chosen the bookstore to be investigated, but someone had already beat us there. They were standing right outside of Torisei’s door, seemingly having had the same idea as us.**

 

[Talk to Handa]

 

Handa: [Neutral] I would hope that you are seeing what I am seeing. 

 

**He pointed to the door, and my attention turned there: Posted on the door was a piece of paper, attached with a small strip of tape.**

 

**I began to read it - but it was hard, as all the words had been cut out from somewhere else and glued onto the paper. It was actually really disorienting to read.**

 

Urogataya: Uh…  _ “Sorry for having borrowed something of yours, but I wanted to discuss it with you personally. Come to the bookstore at midnight.” _

 

Urogataya:  _ “...A friend” _ . 

 

Crane: Wow, that was a lot of words to have cut out… 

 

Handa: [Crossed arms] It’s a fair strategy, though. Handwriting cannot be traced that way. It would be a solid way to draw someone out without them knowing of your identity.

 

Handa: Judging by Torisei’s talent, I would assume that he could have discerned the author of this note by their handwriting.

 

Crane: [Thinking] The killer probably foresaw that, and resorted to this… esoteric method. 

 

Handa: [Smug] Precisely. 

 

_ [EVIDENCE BULLET ADDED: Note] _

  
  


**Before I could find the time to ponder that, though-**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Attention shoppers! I’ve given you more than enough time to pay your respects to Mappy here, and try to avenge his death. The investigation! Is! Overrrr! 

 

Monokuma: It’s been a while, but please gather in front of the fountain on the first floor!

 

Monokuma:  I’ll see you all soon! Upupupu…

 

**With that, the sound system clicked off.**

 

**INVESTIGATION END**

  
  


Crane: … 

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Crane: Well, there’s no use prolonging it. Let’s go.

 

Urogataya: Y-yeah. Let’s. 

  
  


**It felt as though the last trial had been ages ago, even though it had really only been a few days. Time passes slowly, I guess, when there’s nothing to do. That would probably explain why the investigation went so quickly.**

 

**I’ll admit that I didn’t have as much of an emotional stake in this trial as I did last time, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t still important. Someone had died again, and that was completely inexcusable.**

 

**People began to arrive to the fountain area, one by one.**

 

Ando: [Pale] … 

 

Tachibana: [Pale] … 

 

Nosaka: What’s the deal with you two? You got the plague, or somethin’?

 

Baisotei: [Sternly] Leave them alone, Nosaka-kun. Death affects us all in different ways.

 

Dazai: [Smug] Yeah, and it doesn’t seem to affect you at all. Rat bastard.

 

Handa: [Arms crossed] The pot calling the kettle black, indeed… 

 

**After that, though, the banter stopped. The reality of the situation was really setting in at this point…**

 

**Monokuma appeared from behind the fountain after a few minutes of silence.**

 

Monokuma: Hello, hello! How you doin’? 

 

Watanabe: [Flatly] Bad.

 

Murakami: Could be worse. 

 

Giselle: Awah… 

 

Urogataya: I’m tired of this… Monokuma, can you take us to the trial room, already? 

 

Dazai: Someone’s in a hurry.

 

Rowena: Nay, t’is understandable. I, too, am eager to present my evidence… 

 

Murakami: Well, this is gonna be a riot. 

 

Monokuma: Hah! You all seem either really overeager, or ready to pass out. Guess I won’t keep you waiting, then!

 

**He ran around the fountain several times, just like he had done before, and…**

 

*click*

 

*rumblerumblerumblerumblerumble*

 

**As everyone watched in awe, the fountain split in two. The middle column began to rise, until the fish statue was even farther off the ground than it was originally. The water clicked off, and standing in the middle of what was the fountain was a large, round tower.**

 

Monokuma: Enter at your leisure! But remember, chances are that if you’re too leisurely, you’ll be prolonging your own death. Upupupu!

 

Crane: [Determined] We  _ will _ beat this trial, Monokuma. You can count on it.

 

Monokuma: Well, whatever you say!

  
  


**He vanished. One by one, we all began to file into the elevator. If it was roomy last time, it was even roomier now - two of our number had vanished since then. The elevator’s mirrored walls were still impeccably polished. Perfect for self-reflection before a trial, I guess.**

 

**The elevator began its descent, machinery whirring as we plunged down into what seemed like an endless abyss.**

 

**Samuru Torisei: not a person with many close friends here, but not a person with enemies. He was meek, timid, and kept to himself, but he also seemed really smart. Maybe if this killer hadn’t acted, we would have been able to find out where exactly we are - but it’s no use worrying about what could have been. The fact is, we’re here now.**

 

**And the fact is, I** **_would_ ** **find out who killed him.**

 

**...I hope.**

 

**_CHAPTER 2: GIVING RISE TO THE GOLEM_ **

 

**_ABNORMAL DAYS: END_ **

 

**_13 Students Remain_ **

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :>  
> Feel free to dump your theories here!  
> All comments are much appreciated. Thank you!


	17. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 7)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so begins the class trial! I tried to bulk it up considerably from last time, hopefully it works out.
> 
> this chapter has several cw's, but I can't specify what without spoiling the chapter. I'll leave it at "mentions of graphic violence" and "mentions of sex" for now.

**The courtroom had been slightly redecorated from last time: During Arakawa’s trial, the walls had been covered in mirrors and lined with barres. This time, however, the walls were draped with tan, tea-stained fabric that resembled an archaic map. Squinting revealed that the countries illustrated were all fake ones, labelled with names like “Monotopia” and “Monotenegro”. I assumed that while we were investigating, Monokuma - or whoever controlled him - redecorated the area. That was the only explanation I could think of, anyway.**

 

**The eponymous bear was back on his judge’s chair, slumped over as usual. He had another slurpee, but this time it was blue. My stomach growled - I’d fallen asleep last night before I could try the leftovers Handa gave me. Damn it. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about that.**

 

**The other main difference from last time was that we had lost two of our number since then, leaving three of the podiums unoccupied. They weren’t empty, though. Crossed-out portraits of Torisei and Goto had joined the one of Arakawa from before. While hers and Torisei’s featured simple red X’s, though, Goto’s bore the image of two crossed guitar necks across his face.**

 

**Torisei was the one who asked about the portraits the first time, wasn’t he? That’s pretty ironic.**

 

**_BLACK FRIDAY BLOWOUT - CLASS TRIAL_ **

 

Monokuma: Before we start, let’s review the rules of the class trial!

 

Monokuma: In this trial, you’re all acting as the detectives, lawyers, and jury all rolled into one. The trial will only end when all votes are cast!

 

Monokuma: If you vote for the right person, you’ll all be able to continue living, and I might even reward you. 

 

Monokuma:  However, if you vote for the wrong person… the only person able to continue living will be the culprit! The rest of you will be brutally executed!

 

Monokuma: Now, who killed Torisei-kun? Take it away, everyone! A one, a two, a five six seven-

 

Watanabe: You’re still not funny.

 

Nosaka: So guys, I think that-

 

Dazai: God, Nosaka. Shut UP. 

 

Nosaka: Okay!

 

Irie: Where should we begin, then? 

 

Handa: It doesn't seem as though anyone has any purveying theories as to the identity of the killer. 

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Rowena: I believe-

 

Murakami: Hey, heeey! I think we shouldn't target anyone immediately like we did last time. It didn't end up doing anything, and we just wasted our energy. 

 

Baisotei: Ah, Murakami-kun. I knew it'd do you good to communicate with everyone in a non-hostile manner-

 

Murakami: That being said, Tachibana-chan is, like, totally the culprit. One hundred percent. 

 

Tachibana: [Shocked] AAAAAAAAAAH????!

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Ando: Let’s not be hasty here, y’all-

 

Tachibana: B-b-but I'm not the culprit! I would never… I… you've got to believe me! 

 

Dazai: Tell that to the perps in the fucking slammer. 

 

Crane: Oy… 

 

**I haven't even** **_said_ ** **anything yet, and it's already a complete and total mess. Accusations being thrown every which way, Tachibana crying, Murakami being… Murakami…**

 

**Ugh, what a nightmare.**

 

**Still, something about this seems… off.**

 

Urogataya: Murakami-kun! Do you mind telling us the thought process behind that theory? 

 

Murakami: Why would I mind? Hearing myself talk is the only thing that brings me joy in this miserable world. 

 

Dazai: Thaaaat’s ironic. 

 

Murakami: Anyway, my idea is this. 

 

Murakami: Immediately after Torisei-kin ran away like a weenie last night, he decided to go up to the bookstore to go study or do some other nerd shit. 

 

Murakami: Who should he happen across but Tachibana-chan, reading those housewife magazines! I can't think of anyone else who would do that. 

 

Murakami: A heated battle ensued, probably over lost love or some shit, and Tachibana-chan stabbed Torisei-kun through the neck!

 

Murakami: After that, full of shame, Tachibana-chan…

 

Murakami: Full of shame, she fled the area. 

 

Murakami: It makes sense, right? Especially since she mentioned how she was so busy… she was busy planning a MURDER!

 

Nosaka: God, Noboru is so cool! I could just die right now! 

 

Irie: ...Then do us all a favor. 

 

**Hm. Murakami’s ideas seem feasible, but they still have a lot of flaws. There's gotta be somewhere I can prove him wrong!**

 

Urogataya: YOU’VE GOT THAT WRONG!

 

Urogataya: Murakami-kun, you said that Tachibana-san mentioned being busy because she was planning a murder. 

 

Urogataya: But… you also act like she had time to read. 

 

Murakami: She could've just been doing it while she was waiting. No big. 

 

Urogataya: Tachibana-san told me something different, before the murder even happened. 

 

[FLASHBACK]

 

Tachibana: I dunno what I wanna ask the ghost… maybe I should ask it for book recommendations. But I don’t have any time to read anything, not lately…   
  


Tachibana: [Thoughtful] I wonder if you could marry a ghost… a ghost can spell out its vows using a ouija board, right? Or by writing them in blood on a mirror!   
  


Urogataya: Wh-what are you even talking about?!

 

[END FLASHBACK] 

 

Urogataya: So why would she be reading housewife magazines if she wasn't reading anything, period? 

 

Tachibana: I don't even r-read those… uuu… 

 

Crane: You probably should have asked her about that, first… 

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] Ah. I've been wounded. 

 

Crane: Not to mention. I think there was another piece of evidence that disproves that claim, wasn’t there?

 

Irie: What do you mean by that.

 

Rowena: Ah! I know! That is-

 

Dazai: It’s not ghosts.

 

Rowena: [Dejected] … 

 

Handa: Do you mind sharing this evidence with us, Omiata-san?

 

Urogataya: A-ah, I think I know what he’s talking about. That is… 

 

Urogataya: The strange noise from last night, right?

 

Giselle: ...Explain.

 

Urogataya: I woke up in the middle of the night last night to hear a weird noise coming from the bookstore… Crane-kun said he heard it, too. Since it was still when he was in the Food Court with Rowena-san, it had to have been a few hours after everyone left. 

 

Urogataya: Because of that, the timing of Murakami-kun’s theory is all out of whack! 

 

Baisotei: Hmm, I heard that last night, too… 

 

Giselle:  _ Ich habe das auch so gemacht _ … I assumed, was Junichi rolling over in bed.

 

Watanabe: I sleep like a log. 

 

Giselle: Ahah… 

 

Urogataya: And Tachibana-san. What did you do after leaving the Food Court?

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] I went to bed, that’s all! I d-don’t think any of you would believe me, though… 

 

Urogataya: If she didn’t hear it, she probably slept through it.

 

Urogataya: And so, I don't think that Tachibana-san could have killed T-

 

Nosaka:  **HOLD UP!**

 

Urogataya: B-bwuh?!

 

**The force of his statement reminded me of Irie’s, from the last trial… just as isolating, solely directed at me. I forced back a swallow and made myself meet his eyes.**

 

Nosaka: So maybe Noboru’s theory had a few weird fuckin’ mistakes! That’s okay, we all mess up sometimes! 

 

Nosaka: I mean, I never do, but that’s beside the point.

 

Nosaka: Fact is, your reasonin’ on that last part ain’t shit! It’s totally fuckin’ possible that Tachibana could be lying.

 

Urogataya: I don’t think she’s doing that… 

 

Nosaka: [Lowers voice] How about we put that theory to the test, dollface?

 

**Ugh, I forgot he could do that weird thing with his voice… that’s probably how he gets people to play into his scams, if I’m really thinking about it.**

 

**Still, I won’t give in!**

 

Nosaka: So here’s my take! Y’all had better listen up, y’hear?!

 

Nosaka: The magazines were probably planted as a distraction, sure! But I’m pretty damn sure that Torisei went up to the bookstore right after! 

 

Nosaka: He got stabbed in the neck, right?! Well, it takes a long-ass time to bleed out! 

 

Nosaka: It’s entirely possible that she left him to bleed out after she stabbed him, since he wouldn’t be able to move! The Monokuma file records the time of death, not the time a person got fuckin’ attacked! 

 

Nosaka: Beat that, huh?! HUH?!

 

**If I didn’t know what I know, I would think he was making a good point! Still, there’s some evidence he’s missing!**

 

Urogataya:  **I’LL CUT THAT CLAIM TO PIECES!**

 

Dazai: You trying to be some kind of dramatic anime protagonist or something?

 

Rowena: I can respect it!

 

Nosaka: Eeeehhh?! And what do you have to say against that, exactly?

 

Urogataya: Torisei-kun was stabbed through the carotid artery, on his neck. 

 

Urogataya: Baisotei-san, can you repeat what you told me and Crane-kun during the investigation?

 

Baisotei: Whatever do you- ah, I understand!

 

Baisotei: If a person’s carotid artery is punctured, it would take them anywhere from a few seconds to two minutes to die. 

 

Nosaka: [Incredulous] ...So? 

 

Crane: Wouldn’t that mean that Torisei-kun was stabbed under two minutes before he died? Even if it was Tachibana-chan, she couldn’t have left him to bleed out if the two of ‘em had gone straight to the bookstore. 

 

Watanabe: Hey.

 

Watanabe: Is there a way to prove that Torisei didn’t just. Go straight to the bookstore to begin with. I feel like that would save us a lot of trouble… maybe.

 

Watanabe: I dunno. I’m tired.

 

Ando: Seems like yer always tired lately… are y’alright?

 

Tachibana: [Sniffs] Y-yeah. Is… there a way?

 

Handa: I believe so, yes. I do not think many people checked where I investigated, however.

 

**Wait, that would be…**

 

Urogataya: ...The note on Torisei-kun’s door, right? 

 

Irie: The… excuse me?

 

Crane: Aaah, I had almost forgotten about that. 

 

Crane: Hey, Monokuma. Is there any way you can pull up evidence, or something? 

 

Monokuma: Or something!

 

Giselle: Huh…?

 

Monokuma: Yeah, I can pull up evidence. Geez! You kids don’t understand sarcasm nowadays. Is this what postmodernist humor is?

 

**As we watched, the bear pressed the same button on the side of his chair that he had used to project the slot machine graphic onto the wall before. This time, however, it showed a photograph from the ransom note that had been left on Torisei’s door.**

 

_ Sorry for having borrowed something of yours, but I wanted to discuss it with you personally. Come to the bookstore at midnight. _

 

_ -A friend. _

 

Rowena: Explain the meaning of this summons, at once! Who is this “friend”?!

 

Urogataya: That’s what we’re trying to find out.

 

Urogataya: My theory is that Torisei-kun stopped by his room, saw this, and headed up to the bookstore at the mentioned time. 

 

**Now that I think about it, I probably should have brought this up at the beginning…**

 

Nosaka: [Finger-gunning at his temple] God DAMMIT! I thought I was onto somethin’, here! 

 

Murakami: You did the best you could, Yasuo! Can’t fault you for that!

 

Nosaka: Y… Yasuo?

 

Dazai: Slow down. How the fuck do you know this wasn’t some kind of plant?

 

Dazai: [Sour expression] The killer could’ve just put this on his door after they had killed him, easy peasy. In order to mess up the timing of the events. 

 

Ando: Mm, coulda happened.

 

Handa: It  _ does _ seem to be a possibility, yes.

 

Ando: [Pale] … 

 

Urogataya: No, that’s not right at all! And I can prove it with this!

 

Dazai: ...What are you pointing at.

 

Urogataya: Uh…???

 

**I didn’t realize I was doing that…**

 

Urogataya: The book that Torisei-kun was found with seems weird to me. When Crane-kun and I went to investigate it, Monokuma popped up and said something really weird… 

 

[FLASHBACK]

 

Monokuma: We don’t sell textbooks here. Do you know how crazy expensive those things are, these days? Just stocking them would put us in debt!

 

Monokuma: ...That includes atlases, by the way.

 

Urogataya: W-wait, so where did he-

 

Monokuma: Well, I’ve fulfilled my usefulness quota for now. Smell ya later!

 

**With that, the bear vanished - once again, leaving far more questions than answers.**

 

[END FLASHBACK]

 

Crane: Yeah, that came off as weird to me, too… in some bizarre, kind of roundabout way, it was like he was trying to tell us something.

 

Tachibana: [Sniffle] Do you know what that is…? 

 

Urogataya: Actually, it reminded me of something that Torisei-kun said a long while ago.

 

[FLASHBACK]

 

Baisotei: Onto the next order of business, then. You may have noticed that your rooms are all seemingly tailored to fit your talent-based needs. For example, mine has a punching bag hanging from the ceiling.

 

Torisei: Y-yeah! Mine had a big atlas in it… I spent some time poring over it to see where in Japan we are, but I couldn’t find anything…

 

Nosaka: Aw, man… do ya mean my room coulda had piles of money in it? Thanks for nothin’, interior designers!

 

[END FLASHBACK]

 

Urogataya: He said he had an atlas in his room, and Monokuma said that there weren’t any atlases in the bookstore. And since he definitely didn’t have it with him at Rowena-san’s seance, that means that he had to have stopped at his room before he went up to the bookstore!

 

Baisotei: That’s solid reasoning, Urogataya-san. Now that I think about it, he likely took it for self-defense… it was a very heavy book. 

 

Nosaka: Nngh… 

 

Murakami: Mweh… 

 

Watanabe: Are we just making weird noises instead of apologizing for wasting time. Is this the hot new trend among the teens. Seriously, what is this.

 

Rowena: Are idle mouths the devil’s playthings, as well?! Perhaps I shall look into that… 

 

Tachibana: D-does… does this mean that my name is cleared? Aahh, I’m so happy… 

 

Dazai: Kek, I’m sure you wish it was.

 

Handa: Did you just say “kek” out loud…?

 

Dazai: Pixie Breath over there still hasn’t explained the weird hair on the floor of the bookstore. And that seems really weird, especially for someone who literally wears a sweater with a white furry collar every damn day. 

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] I c-can’t explain it, because I w-wasn’t there… 

 

Giselle: Ah, makes sense. 

 

**Mmm, she’s got me there… if the hair doesn’t match the hair on anyone’s head, then-**

 

**Ando decided to snap out of his weird fervor and speak up at that very moment.**

 

Ando: Uh… Monokuma. Can ya throw the hair up on that screen doohickey of yours? Y’know… I just wanna see it real quick.

 

Monokuma: Will do, pardner! Yeehaw!

 

Ando: ...I ain’t a cowboy. 

 

**With that, the image on the wall changed from the note to the single strand of white hair on the carpeted floor of the bookstore. A murmur went up around the courtroom - no one really seemed sure what to make of it. Tachibana was still wide-eyed.**

 

Handa: That is… indeed hair. I don’t know what you want me to say.

 

Ando: [Wide-eyed] I don’t want ya to say anythin’.

 

Handa: ...What did I do to you, anyway?

 

Baisotei: Is there a reason you wanted to see this, Ando-kun?

 

Ando: Well, Tachibana-san. Would ya mind tellin’ me what that collar thing of yours is made out of?

 

Tachibana: E-eh? Well, this is faux fur.

 

Tachibana: I’m against a-animal cruelty! It’s not real fur… I could never hurt an animal like that!

 

Irie: [Eyes closed] You are not being accused of the murder of a fur-bearing animal, you are being accused of the murder of a human being.

 

Crane: that doesn’t really help to lessen the situation, here… 

 

Ando: I was wonderin’, ‘cause this here is horse hair. Not fake fur or human hair.

 

Giselle:  _...Pferd? _

 

Ando: I’m gonna assume that means horse.

 

Giselle: Yes!

 

Watanabe: You work with farm animals. Are you incriminating yourself?

 

Ando: I work with cows, not horses. ‘Sides, I haven’t seen an animal in ages. Wouldn’t have any reason to have hair on my clothes… plus, ain’t anythin’ connecting me to any other part of this. I’m clean. 

 

Dazai: How the hell would you know it’s a horse hair just by looking at it?

 

Ando: [Shrugs] It’s a country thing.

 

Nosaka: ...What the fuck does that  _ mean _ ?

 

Handa: And this implies… that Tachibana-san is innocent. 

 

Crane: Exactly what we’ve been getting at, yeah. 

 

Tachibana: [Sniffling] … 

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] Ah, whatever. I concede. 

 

Rowena: Ah, so we have reached a decision! Now then, allow me to present you all with my p-

 

Crane: ...Wait, hold on a second.

 

**Huh? I thought he was on the “Tachibana is innocent” train. Is he having second thoughts?**

 

Crane: [Thinking] I just wanna bring this up before someone else does. I don’t think it means Tachibana-chan is guilty, but I think it should be addressed anyway.

 

Crane: Tachibana’s secret from the Wheel of Doom… it was on one of the bookstore tables. Just… sitting there. Why?

 

Giselle: Oh! I had forgotten.

 

Dazai: You mean that eyesore Monokuma set up in front of the fountain? Ugh, I hated that thing. It made obnoxious roulette noises in the middle of the night.

 

Baisotei: [Concerned] You were out in the middle of the night?

 

Dazai: Don’t attempt to get to “know me”, Mega Milk.

 

Baisotei: Why, I…!

 

Urogataya: Okay! So, I think we should try to figure out who used the machine first. If you used it, raise your hand!

 

**…**

 

**...No one raised their hand. To be fair, I didn’t either: I was waiting for someone else to do it before I did. Oops.**

 

Irie: Someone absolutely used it, as several of the slots were blanked out when I passed it.

 

Nosaka: And someone won the shit from the winner slot, too! Ain’t anyone gonna ask about that?!

 

Crane: Hey, Ando-kun. You said you used it, didn’t you?

 

Ando: That I did.

 

Tachibana: H-huh? Ando-kun… 

 

Nosaka: [Dejected] Everyone’s changin’ the subject on me. Guess I’ll die.

 

Ando: [Pale] I ain’t tellin’ whose secret I got, though. I don’t wanna be killed.

 

Irie: [Thinking] Well, in addition to the “Winner” slot… 

 

Irie: Handa-san’s… Torisei-san’s… Tachibana-san’s… Dazai-san’s… Nosaka-san’s… and mine.

 

Urogataya: [Eyes closed] … 

 

**I had an idea, all of a sudden. It probably wouldn’t work, but unless I tried…**

 

Urogataya: Hey, Monokuma! Can you tell us who used the wheel? Or who got whose secret?

 

Monokuma: Nope!

 

**Damn.**

 

Monokuma: But I can tell you about Torisei-kun’s use of the wheel, since he’s not here to protest! Dead people’s privacy is NOT protected by Monokuma Law.

 

Irie: Monokuma… Law… 

 

Monokuma: Remind me to explain the specifics of that later!

 

Murakami: Yeah, no one remind him.

 

Monokuma: Torisei-kun got… drumroll, please… 

 

Monokuma: Tachibana-chan’s secret! 

 

**...Huh?**

 

**In hindsight, maybe that was obvious…**

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] Uuuu… Torisei-kun, he… 

 

Baisotei: Come, now. It can’t be that bad, can it?

 

Tachibana: M-maybe it can… 

 

Irie: And we discussed this, because…?

 

Urogataya: If the killer hadn’t gotten Tachibana-chan’s secret, I think that this whole thing with her secret slip is a red herring.

 

Urogataya: Likely, the killer searched Torisei-kun’s body and surroundings and put that there to frame Tachibana-san, right? 

 

Urogataya: I think we can clear Tachibana-san.

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chan….!

 

**The look on her face in that moment was absolutely worth it.**

 

Murakami: … 

 

Murakami: PBBBBBBBT!! 

 

Rowena: [Points] Fortuna’s servant has been possessed! Yea, I shall perform an exorcism!!

 

Watanabe: Don’t do that.

 

Murakami: Fortuna’s servant? Huh. That’s a new one.

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] If the killer thought to use Tachibana-chan’s secret to frame her, chances are that secrets played into the murder either way. 

 

Nosaka: Alright! Everyone spill your secrets right now!

 

**No one said anything, just like how they didn’t say anything when I had asked.**

 

Nosaka: [Clenches fist] Dammit! I thought I would get blackmail material… 

 

Ando: No, he’s got a point. Findin’ out the secrets would maybe clear things up. 

 

Crane: Alright, then… so… 

 

Crane: … 

 

Tachibana: … 

 

Irie: … 

 

Dazai: … 

 

Murakami: … 

 

Nosaka: … 

 

Rowena: ...Ahem.

 

Giselle: … 

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Handa: … 

 

Ando: … 

 

Baisotei: … 

 

**No one spoke for a long time.**

 

**The rapid-fire debate that I had come to associate with the class trial… had come to a complete and total halt. Only silence remained, hanging awkwardly in the room like a thick fog.**

 

**Desperately, I glanced up at one of the cameras attached to the wall, as if it would make something happen. The seconds crawled by, agonizingly.**

 

**Then, against my better judgment, something** **_did_ ** **happen. But not something I was expecting.**

 

Monokuma: AAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!! 

 

Giselle: G-GAH??

 

Monokuma: God, the whole lot of you… you’re all really pissing me off! 

 

Monokuma: I work all day and night coming up with motives for you kids, and you won’t even talk about it because of your precious little “privacy”, or whatever? Well, spoiler fuckin’ alert! You’re all celebrities! You don’t  _ have _ privacy!

 

Murakami: Oh, I’ve been promoted. Sweet!

 

Monokuma: I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do! I’m gonna read all these secrets in front of you all, because  _ apparently _ I have to do everything myself!!

 

Monokuma: Upupu… Upupupupupupu!! 

 

**The silence continued for a moment, only interrupted by the bear’s maniacal laughter. But it didn’t last long.**

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] You can’t… you can’t  _ do _ that!! 

 

Handa: You wouldn’t. You’re bluffing, aren’t you?

 

Rowena: I am a woman ruled by secrecy! You cannot affect me, foul demon! 

 

Baisotei: [Shocked] I… 

 

Monokuma: You’re all just saying stuff to make yourselves feel better, aren’t you? Ah, well. I’m not here to shame people for prolonging the inevitable. Oh wait, yes I am!

 

**My mind was racing faster than I thought possible, trying to figure out if I had any secrets worth hiding. Was there anything that could ruin me?**

 

Ando: [Shrugs] I’ve got nothin’ to hide. 

 

Crane: Some people do, though… 

 

**As we watched, Monokuma reached inside… what I assumed was a pocket. Now that I think about it, he didn’t have any pockets, did he? Whatever. Not important.**

 

**He produced a scroll of paper, that he unrolled to an almost comical length. It was probably just for show, but I wasn’t thinking about that right then.**

 

Ando: I was workin’ up the courage to tell y’all what I had gotten, but it looks like I won’t have to. Huh.

 

Monokuma: Now then, let’s begin Monokuma’s Tell-All! Here we goooo! 

 

Monokuma: Ando-kun seems pretty fearless, so I’ll start with his!

 

Ando: [Shocked] Huh? Wait, no! I-

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem!  **“** **_Goro Ando gets off to gore!”_ **

 

**…**

 

**Hey, what the fuck? What the fuck?**

 

**Ando was starting to resemble a tomato.**

 

Ando: [Covering face with both hands] Mmmgghhhh… 

 

Nosaka: I… hm… 

 

Nosaka: [Grin] Aha! AhahahahHAHAHHAHA, OH MY GOD. HOLY SHIT. YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS SHIT UP, Y’ALL.

 

Ando: [Covering face with both hands] … 

 

**I wish I could describe the faces everyone was making at that moment, but that would be completely impossible. Nosaka was laughing so hard he looked like he was about to throw up.**

 

**As we watched incredulously, Ando dropped to his knees and curled up into a ball, mumbling incoherently all the while. No one made a move to go comfort him.**

 

**I would say that he looked like he wanted to get executed… but with this new information, that would have an entirely different meaning.**

 

Nosaka: Ooh! Roast me next! 

 

Monokuma: Huh? We actually have volunteers? This is taking all the fun out of this… 

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Yasuo Nosaka reads shoujo manga in his spare time!_ ** **”**

 

**At the very least, it hadn’t changed since the last time I’d seen it.**

 

Nosaka: [Surprised] That… of all the things… 

 

Murakami: [Sniggers] That’s cute. 

 

Dazai: God, I could just throw up right now. 

 

**After that, the volunteering stopped completely. And so…**

 

**The secrets started coming out, one after another, rapid-fire. It was almost surreal to witness, and yet… I stood frozen the whole time.**

 

[MONTAGE]

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Crane Omiata once kicked one of the most respected capoeiristas in the world in the face!_ ** **”**

 

Crane: That was an accident! He said it was okay… was it okay?

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Kurenai Irie acts like an urbanite! But really, she grew up in poverty in the countryside!_ ** **”**

 

Irie: [Covers mouth with hand] Khh… 

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Noboru Murakami has cheated on nearly every exam he’s taken in school since 6th grade!_ ** **”**

 

Murakami: [Shrugs] I’m just surprised it took anyone so long to figure it out, honestly.

 

Watanabe: Lucky, my ass.

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Though she says it’s because she enjoys other people’s relationships, the real reason Minami Tachibana throws herself into her work is because she thinks she’s too unclean to deserve a relationship of her own!_ ** **”**

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] I… I… 

 

Tachibana: [Sobbing] UWAAAAAAHH!!

 

Baisotei: T-Tachibana-san!

 

Nosaka: What does that even-

 

Urogataya: Hey, stop it! This isn’t funny anymore! 

 

Crane: Was it ever funny?! 

 

Nosaka: It kinda was, at first… 

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Rumi Urogataya is a complete and total arachnophobe! She practically faints at the mere mention of spiders!_ ** **”**

 

Urogataya: Nnnn… 

 

**Damn it, he was right about that. I could feel myself start to wobble on my own two feet. But, for better or for worse, I still kept conscious.**

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Chiemi Baisotei has never been kissed!_ ** **”**

 

Baisotei: [Blushing, fighting stance] That is NOT important right now!

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Daian Dazai killed her own father with a beer bottle, and has been a fugitive ever since!_ ** **”**

 

Dazai: [Raises hand] Eh. 

 

Crane: Wait, you  _ WHAT _ ?? 

 

**Before I had time to consider that bombshell, Monokuma had moved on, just like that. It was as if that reveal had never happened.**

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Though he plays it off as part of his persona, Junichi Watanabe’s constant drowsiness is a result of his severe Chronic Fatigue Disorder!_ ** **”**

 

Watanabe: [Blinks slowly] … 

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Rowena Christine St. Bathory’s real name is Hanako Hanakiyo!_ ** **”**

 

Rowena?: I… what?

 

Rowena?: No… nononononono. Nonono. No. Nooo…. 

 

Crane: [Confused] Your name is “flower child pure flower?”

 

Rowena?: [Pulling her hat over her head] Leave me be, leave me beeeee… 

 

Urogataya: Hey, are you-

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_Giselle Vundergaarde has an enormous crush on the late Gene Wilder!_ ** **”**

 

Giselle: [Blushing, hand on cheek]  _ Wie peinlich…  _

 

Crane: [Angry] Hey! What’s with the tonal whiplash? How can you equate dumb crushes with stuff like… like murder?! 

 

Monokuma: Cool your jets! We’re almost done. I saved the best one for last. 

 

**All eyes in the room turned to the one person in the room who hadn’t divulged a secret. He gripped the podium so hard his knuckles turned white, but no amount of discomfort would stop Monokuma.**

 

**Man, whoever was controlling him was a real sadist, weren’t they?**

 

Monokuma: … 

 

Monokuma: …… 

 

Monokuma: Oh, I disassociated for a second. Here we go! 

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_He never opens up about his family, but Akira Handa has good reason to!_ ** **”**

 

Handa: Y-you can’t. You wouldn’t. 

 

**Monokuma blatantly ignored him.**

 

Monokuma:  **“** **_The truth is, he comes from a long, long lineage of cannibals!”_ **

 

**…**

 

**…….**

 

**Handa hugged his arms against his chest and stared down at the ground, shaking like he was about to detonate.**

 

Baisotei: You… you  _ WHAT?! _

 

Nosaka: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING MEEEE?

 

Handa: Sh… shut up. Shut UP! 

 

Tachibana: [Sobbing] Aaaaa… aaaAAAAAA!! 

 

Watanabe: What the fuck. I’m going to have a conniption. 

 

Handa: [Clutching head with hands] That’s not me… THAT’S NOT ME!

 

Handa: I haven’t spoken to my piece of shit father in YEARS! 

 

Handa: All of you… 

 

Urogataya: Handa-san..!

 

Handa: [Wild-eyed] STAY AWAY FROM ME!

 

Monokuma: Well, it looks like my work here is done. Carry on with the trial!

 

**Monokuma’s calm demeanor only served to escalate things further. The sound and the fury of that trial room kept reaching higher and higher, threatening to reach an eardrum-shattering fervor. Entropy itself had been unleashed on the courtroom, and there was no way out.**

 

**And the fact was… not even the people who are innocent of the crime we came here to discuss are truly safe, now. They might never be again.**

 

**But with everyone’s secrets laid out in the open… how can a killer still hide?**

  
  


**CLASS TRIAL**

 

**SUSPEND!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh... yikes? yikes! yikes. y
> 
> a lot got laid out this chapter, but a lot didn't! chances are that if something was missed, it'll be discussed in the next chapter. 
> 
> I wanna try to update more often, since I'm back in school and I've been forcing myself to be more motivated. I'll try not to take long hiatuses
> 
> Feel free to dump your theories here!  
> All comments are much appreciated. Thank you!


	18. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 8)

Monokuma: And so, the trial comes to a fever pitch without the killer having even been found yet!

 

Monokuma: I’d like to congratulate myself on just how ironic this trial is. 

 

Monokuma: Even if anyone survives here, their dignity sure won’t. Upupupu~!

 

Monokuma: … 

 

Monokuma: What? Are my “roasts” not good enough for you kids?! Am I not “hip” with the times?! 

 

Monokuma: Listen, kid. I spend all this time organizing these motives and being cute. What do you want from me?

 

Monokuma: Anyway. If the shouting from this trial gets too loud for you, feel free to open the “Settings” menu and lower the volume. 

 

Monokuma: Or you could just cut out the middleman and remove your colcheae with a pair of tweezers!

 

Monokuma: But hey, don’t let me tell you what to do!

  
  


**CLASS TRIAL**

 

**RESUME!**

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Crane: … 

 

Dazai: [Incredulous] … 

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Baisotei: [Eyes closed] ...All fit to continue, say “aye”.

 

**There was a chorus of “aye”s in response - in fact, nearly everyone replied. The exceptions were Tachibana (still crying), Handa (still shaking), Ando (still on the floor), and…. Rowena? (still… I don’t even know)**

Baisotei: We have enough to continue, at the very least. That’s good. 

 

Giselle: Ah, but… where to start?

 

Crane: Well, we at least know the timeframe of the murder, and that it wasn’t Tachibana-chan.

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] … 

 

Crane: But that still leaves a lot of things we DON’T know.

 

Murakami: [Leering] Care to enlighten me, Sherlock?

 

Urogataya: ...The murder weapon, for one. 

 

Watanabe: If he got stabbed, maybe the killer used a knife or something. What happened to Baisotei’s knife box, anyway?

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Baisotei: [Dejected] ...It didn’t work, so I put them back in their proper places.

 

**God, I can almost feel my heart breaking.**

 

Nosaka: [Finger-gunning at his temple] How’s that workin’ out for you, huh?

 

Urogataya: Actually, that can’t be right! Torisei-kun’s injury was a circular hole in his neck. I doubt a knife could cause that kind of injury.

 

Giselle: So, if not a knife, then… what?

 

Watanabe: Maybe he was attacked by a shitty vampire. 

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Watanabe: Huh. I thought if I said something weird she’d go back to normal.

 

Irie: Now’s clearly not the time for that. 

 

Irie: Judging by the crime scene, the murder weapon was quite obvious. 

 

Nosaka: Aaaaaand thaaaaat iiiiiis?

 

Irie: [Eyes closed] Urogataya-san. Prove to me that you were paying attention.

 

Urogataya: Uh?

 

**Why is this falling on me, all of a sudden?**

 

Urogataya: Oh, right. It had to have been one of the fountain pens!

 

Irie: [Nods] Precisely my theory.

 

Dazai: The what.

 

Urogataya: There was a display of fountain pens and fancy-shmancy stationery in the bookstore, too. When Omiata-kun and I went to go investigate, we found that two of the pens were missing. Judging by the size of the wound, it would have made perfect sense for a pen to have caused it!

 

Murakami: Oof. That’s pretty metal. 

 

Handa: … 

 

**At that moment, Ando poked his head up from behind his podium. He looked like he’d just been through a windstorm.**

 

Ando: [Peeking] S-so the pen in front ‘a him… must’ve been the murder weapon?

 

Nosaka: Oho, he speaks! Tell me, did Tori’s murder give you a hard o-

 

Baisotei: [Sternly] Enough.

 

**With that, the cowherd went back under the podium. We’re doing a great job being accepting, I guess.**

 

Crane: … 

 

Crane: Something doesn’t quite add up about this. Do you see it too, Urogataya-chan?

 

**I took a second to ponder it. The case seemed pretty clear-cut, and yet-**

 

Urogataya: Yeah, it’s true that Torisei-kun’s stab wound was caused by a pen. But I don’t think it was caused by that exact pen.

 

Watanabe: What do you mean. 

 

Urogataya: Well, when we checked out the stationery stand in the bookstore, there were actually two pens missing. Irie-san can vouch for that.

 

Irie: Yes.

 

Dazai: So? How do you know that the one at the crime scene wasn’t the murder weapon? One of you numbskulls probably borrowed a pen and didn’t return it.

 

Giselle: ...Would do that, yes… 

 

Irie: While that  _ could _ be likely, it’s extremely doubtful. The pen that was found was entirely free of blood. More importantly, it was  _ dry _ . 

 

Dazai: ...It’s a pen. What are you gonna do with it that would require getting it wet.

 

Urogataya: Well, if the pen was used to stab Torisei-kun, it would’ve been covered in blood, right? 

 

Murakami: You could’ve just washed it. 

 

Urogataya: It would’ve been wet if that were the case, and it seems pretty inconvenient for the killer to have washed it right after killing someone. 

 

Crane: Wouldn’t the area around the pen have been a little wet if that happened, too?

 

Dazai: Oh my god. Oh my fucking god. You could have just  _ dried _ it. 

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Watanabe: I went to take a shit before the trial… the sinks were pretty dry. Dunno about the girls’ room, though.

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] I… g-got up in the middle of the n-night. Same for the girls’ room.

 

Baisotei: [Gently] Thank you, Tachibana-san.

 

Nosaka: Why the hell are we talking about dropping deuces?!

 

Irie: Never say that anywhere, ever again.

 

Giselle: Hence, murder weapon… missing pen.

 

Giselle: But… where is it?

 

**That was… one thing that I didn’t know the answer to. From the looks on everyone’s faces, it didn’t seem like anyone else did, either.**

 

Murakami: Snoooore. Let’s move on, yeah? There’s something else that I noticed that I think can narrow down the suspects.

 

Baisotei: Do you mind sharing?

 

Murakami: Whoever killed Torisei managed to knock over one of the bookshelves, right? If there was that much of a struggle, whoever killed him must have been really strong. Those things are huge. 

 

Murakami: Narrows down the murder to someone with muscles. Like you, Baisotei.

 

Baisotei: Why, you-- I didn’t do anything! 

 

Tachibana: B… Baisotei-chan wouldn’t do it!

 

Urogataya: No, no. That’s not right at all. Because, uh--

 

Watanabe: Gotcha.

 

Watanabe: The shelves in the bookstore are made of balsa. Pretty light, but sturdy. Anyone could knock that over. 

 

Watanabe: In short, that means… nothing. 

 

Murakami: [Downtrodden] Man oh man, am I always the purveyor of useless evidence around here? 

 

Irie: Perhaps that attests to your usefulness as a person.

 

Nosaka: [Angry] Hey, now!!

 

Crane: Guys, enough with the arguing… 

 

Handa: [Struggling] … 

 

Handa: There  _ is _ something I noticed that I believe warrants discussion. 

 

**It didn’t seem like even Nosaka or Murakami had anything to say about his newly-revealed situation, so he continued.**

 

Handa: ...The note. The letters were cut out of a magazine, instead of being handwritten. Does that perhaps align with… the magazines left lying around in the store?

 

Urogataya: Ooh, I didn’t even think of that! So they weren’t just used to frame Tachibana-san, right? 

 

Handa: Indeed. I’m unsure what the thing the letter-writer “borrowed” is, though.

 

Murakami: Torisei was kind of a sissy, so it’s entirely possible that there wasn’t even anything borrowed to begin with. He probably saw it, thought “okay!”, and then went at the right time.

 

**As much as I hate to say it, he’s probably right…**

 

Baisotei: ...I just had a thought. As Tachibana-san’s secret was left at the crime scene, we can assume that the secrets were the motive. We know everyone’s now, but… 

 

Baisotei: I don’t believe that Monokuma told us what Torisei-kun’s was, did he?

 

Monokuma: You didn’t ask! 

 

Dazai: Tell us what it is or I’ll rip your teeth out.

 

Monokuma: That’s not a question.

 

Baisotei: Urghh, Monokuma, can you please tell us what Torisei-kun’s secret was?

 

Monokuma: Well, since you asked so nicely, who am I to refuse?

 

Monokuma: Ahem, let’s see… 

 

**He took out the massive scroll of secrets again.**

 

Monokuma: Where is it… “Secret hentai collection”... “True identity as the Super High School Level Analyst”... ah, never mind those. I found it!

 

Monokuma:  **_“Due to the creepily extensive amount of research Samuru Torisei did on his class before coming to Hope’s Peak, it’s entirely possible that he knows everyone’s secrets already!”_ **

 

**…**

 

**That wasn’t what I was expecting at all, but… somehow, it fits. Especially for someone so cautious.**

 

Nosaka: Fuck, that’s too OP… no wonder he got stabbed. 

 

Watanabe: He did seem really on edge lately. I’m not surprised.

 

Crane: Are you ever…? 

 

Tachibana: … 

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] Torisei… kun… 

 

Murakami: If his secret was that he probably knew most of our secrets already, no wonder he got murdered. It’s like wearing neon at night while walking through a village of murderous clowns. Asking for it.

 

Irie: How… overly specific. 

 

Urogataya: So, it’s undoubtedly clear that the murderer killed because of their secret potentially getting out! I can’t think of any reason someone would target Torisei-kun specifically other than that. 

 

Urogataya: I think that means that we can eliminate anyone with a secret on the same level as, say, Giselle-san.

 

Giselle: [Sheepish] Aaah… 

 

Crane: I hate to neg you, Urogataya-chan, but the majority of people here do have fairly big secrets. That logic eliminates a few people, but most of us still remain at large, don’t we?

 

Crane: ...Not me, specifically. I don’t think I’d kill over kicking someone in the face.

 

Watanabe: How famous was that capoeira master guy.

 

Crane: [Dejected] Very… and very well respected… 

 

**Unfortunately for me, he’s right - there’s not a lot else left that can help to narrow down the culprit. The majority of the evidence is really circumstantial, and can be attributed to a lot of people… gh, dammit! Are we going to mistrial?**

 

Urogataya: … 

 

???: Uh, if you’d… l-let me… 

 

**Suddenly, someone I wasn’t expecting at all spoke up.**

 

Baisotei: Mm…? 

 

Rowena?: I think I might know… something.

 

Nosaka: Huuhh, what happened to you? It doesn’t sound like you’re gargling rocks anymore. Are ya sick?

 

Irie: Unless you have something genius to contribute, leave her alone.

 

Crane: What is it, Bathory… uh, Hanakiyo… erm, Rowena-chan? You have the floor.

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: During the… the seance… 

 

Rowena?: I noticed something. I told Omiata-kun.

 

Handa: Then… what?

 

Rowena?: I’ve used the ouija board before, but this time, the planchette… 

 

Rowena?: Was moving… strangely. Like someone was manipulating it.

 

Urogataya: Strangely? Then-

 

Dazai:  **GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK.**

 

Dazai: You can’t mean to tell me that you’re blaming this thing on your spooky fucking ghosts. Do you think this is a fucking joke, Bathory?

 

Dazai: Trying to worm your way into a case like this… what kind of a person are you? Disgusting.

 

Urogataya: Dazai-san, what’s with the sudden…? 

 

Dazai: [Leery smile] Urogataya, you act like you want to solve the case, but you’re going to give this nutjob the time of day? Are you really trying to help everyone as much as you say you are?

 

**I admit I don’t… take kindly to criticism that harsh, but something still seemed off about her statement.**

 

Urogataya: As a matter of fact, I am! And I want you to help, too. So… explain your logic!

 

Dazai: I feel like I’m teaching a class of fucking kindergarteners here. Fine.

 

Dazai: Torisei was a fucking pussy. We all knew that, so I don’t know why we’re surprised here.

 

Dazai: He saw those spooky ghost messages or whatever, and got freaked out - honestly, those messages were either ~ghosts~ or were rigged as part of the board.

 

Dazai: So he ran back because of that, and he saw the note the killer left on his door. Yada yada. You know the rest.

 

Dazai: Do you need me to fucking repeat that for you? Are you not only stupid, but also deaf?

 

**Amid all the insults, this one was pretty tough, but there’s a discrepancy in there somewhere!**

 

Urogataya:  **I’LL CUT THAT CLAIM TO PIECES!**

 

Urogataya: I’d like to ask Hanakiyo-san something, if that’s okay! It’s okay if I call you that for now, right?

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: ...Yeah. Shoot.

 

Urogataya: You said we were contacting the spirits of Goto-kun and Arakawa-san, right? 

 

Dazai: Where the hell are you going with this.

 

Rowena?: Yep. That’s right.

 

Urogataya: Thinking back on the messages, do you… really think that one of them would have said any of those things? Knowing them, I mean.

 

Irie: Are we truly having this discussion?

 

Murakami: I wanna see where this is going. 

 

Dazai: … 

 

Dazai: Admittedly, no. But maybe you turn super snarky and goth when you die. What the fuck do I know.

 

Crane: Didn’t you kill a guy?

 

Urogataya: From that, I think we can infer…

 

Urogataya: ...Someone was manipulating the ouija board.

 

Baisotei: Why would they do that?

 

Handa: They likely used Torisei-kun’s anxiety to their advantage, knowing that any strange messages would send him running.

 

Handa: And hence, back to his room, where their message awaited. 

 

Giselle: Like… one of those machines…  _ Was ist das Wort _ … Rude machines!

 

Irie: Rube Goldberg machines, you mean. I suppose you could say this is one, though not a literal one.

 

Nosaka: So…?

 

Urogataya: So that narrows the suspects down to the people who fit the criteria we established - both of them.

 

Urogataya: And… somehow, I think I know who that person could be.

 

**This… this is not going to be easy. Even beforehand, I know that much.**

 

**Hoo, boy.**

  
  


**_CHOOSE A PERSON!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... 
> 
> by the way, after next chapter you'll be able to choose FTEs for chapter 3! a few have already been chosen because there are some details i want to have laid out, but everything else will be up to you. I may try to have more this time around.
> 
> All comments are much appreciated. Thank you!


	19. Chapter 2: Giving Rise to the Golem (Part 9)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait on this one, I got really busy with scholarship work and schoolwork. I'm also collaborating on a big writing project with a friend, so that's taken up a lot of my time.
> 
> If you're reading this, you live in America, and it's before December 14, 2017, PLEASE contact your representatives and tell them to vote "NO" in the vote to repeal net neutrality. If it's gone, you won't know how this story ends, and I don't want that. Text RESIST to 50409 and select "congress" to fax your representatives. Thank you.

**_[[DAIAN DAZAI chosen]]_ **

  
  


Urogataya: It could only be you!

  
  


Urogataya: Now, let’s narrow down the people sitting around the ouija board, okay?

 

Urogataya: I can’t imagine killing over my arachnophobia - same for Giselle-san’s crush. Rowena-san has an alibi. Murakami-kun doesn’t seem to link to any part of the case, and we already established that Tachibana-san was framed. 

 

Urogataya: Everyone else with a big secret couldn’t have done anything to the ouija board, since none of them were touching it. That leaves… 

 

Baisotei: Dazai… san?

 

Handa: The evidence… does match up, doesn’t it. There are a lot of strange pieces that connect.

 

Murakami: Aww, maaan. This is WAY too anticlimactic. The patricidal chick being the killer? Give me a break. 

 

Watanabe: It’s not a mystery game, dumbass. What do you want.

 

Crane: Well, do you have… anything to say for yourself? Dazai-chan?

 

Dazai: … 

 

**For once, the typically mouthy girl had been rendered speechless - she had just been standing there. Not saying anything.**

 

**Why, then, did I feel such dread?**

 

Urogataya: Dazai-san? Is everything okay?

 

Dazai: … 

 

Dazai: ...aha. 

 

Dazai: “Is everything okay”, she asks. Oh, Urogataya, you’re so altruistic, aren’t you. 

 

Dazai: Do me a favor and shut the fuck up.

 

Urogataya: D-dazai-san?!

 

Ando: [Poking head over top of podium] ?!

 

Irie: We are still in a courtroom environment. It would be in your best interests to be polite, you know.

 

Dazai: Your best- my best interests. When the fuck have any of you cared about my best interests. “Polite”, my ass. 

 

Nosaka: Cool your goddamn jets, we don’t even know if you did it! Unless you DID do it and you’re panicking because you’ve been found out?

 

Handa: The first smart thing you’ve said all day.

 

Urogataya: Dazai-san, pretty much everything checks out. There are a few things unaccounted for, but… 

 

Dazai: Then why don’t you account for them? I hate precocious little bitches like you. You’re all talk, but when the hell have you ever actually done anything for anyone?

 

**I…**

 

Baisotei: Enough with the ad hominem, you. 

 

Dazai: Fine, fine. Whatever you want. 

 

Murakami: We can assume that the motive must have been the secrets from the Wheel of Doom, right? I dunno, Dazai’s seems pretty damn suspicious if you ask me. It’s something that I would kill to hide if that were me, no questions asked. 

 

Tachibana: [Teary-eyed] Nngh… y-yeah… 

 

Dazai: … 

 

Dazai: ...You’ve got to be kidding me. I don’t even care about that. 

 

Ando: [Poking head over top of podium] Not even about… murderin’ someone?

 

Dazai: Oh, I’m sure you’d just fucking love to hear about that, wouldn’t you. No, I don’t care.

 

Ando: [Ducks back under podium] Oh okay.

 

Urogataya: … 

 

**She… doesn’t even seem like she’s lying about it. What’s with her?**

 

Dazai: Besides. If that’s your reasoning, then why aren’t you targeting people like Handa? Since we’ve clearly all ruled out Tachibana or whatever. Despite the evidence that says she did it.

 

Crane: We ruled her out because it was an obvious framing... if anything, I think it’s kinda suspicious that you keep going around in circles when it comes to evidence on this case.

 

Dazai: Okay, fucking riddle me this. 

 

Dazai: You keep going on about this note on Torisei’s door, but it’s written like a ransom note. With all the magazine letters and shit.

 

Dazai: Anyone would have been able to take a pair of scissors from the stationery display in the bookstore, right? Just like whoever killed him was able to get a pen from there. 

 

Dazai: You figured that much out, so I don’t know what the problem is.

 

Irie: But there weren’t any scissors on the display. Anyone who needed to cut things out would have had to have them available before. 

 

Crane: And since we know for a fact that people have items related to their talents in their dorms, I don’t think it would be too out of the ordinary for you to have scissors. 

 

Dazai: … 

 

Baisotei: I can confirm that when I went about collecting potentially dangerous objects, I didn’t come across any scissors… though, I did not go into anyone’s room, either. Privacy is important. 

 

Watanabe: What if someone you’ve been hired to guard gets assassinated while in their room because of privacy. Huh. Really makes you think.

 

Baisotei: ...That has nothing to do with anything. 

 

Dazai: … 

 

**Something feels odd here…**

 

**But not in the way where these claims feel wrong.**

 

**Rather… that there’s something coming.**

 

Urogataya: Dazai-san, would we be able to see this pair of scissors? If you don’t have them on you, Monokuma should be able to pull some kind of image of them up… if they’re clean, than you-

 

Dazai: How many times do I have to ask you to shut the fuck up before you listen to me. This is the biggest pile of fucking horseshit I’ve ever seen.

 

Dazai: You’re using fucking ouija boards as evidence? Trusting some delusional bitch over actual testimony?   
  
Rowena?: HEY-

 

Dazai: Fucking idiots, all of you. You don’t even deserve to call yourselves Super High School Levels. 

 

Giselle: Daian… 

 

Nosaka: Hey, what the fuck? Just show us the damn scissors already. It ain’t a big deal. 

 

Dazai: You think it’s that fucking simple? This is fucking painful.

 

Dazai: Hey, here’s an idea - save yourselves the fucking trouble of voting wrong and dying and just kill yourselves right here and now.

 

Baisotei: That is COMPLETELY uncalled for-

 

Dazai: What the hell do you know? Fucking kill yourself already. 

 

Tachibana: [teary-eyed] … 

 

Crane: Dazai-san, calm down. This isn’t like you.

 

Dazai: What the hell would you know about me, you little bitch? Choke and die. 

 

Ando: I-

 

Dazai: Especially you, dipshit. Cut your fucking throat right now. 

 

Handa: This is utterly ridiculous. It’s a pair of scissors. 

 

Dazai: Go. To. Hell.

 

Urogataya: … 

 

**It’s hard to get a word in edgewise here… or any at all. I’ve never seen Dazai like this, even at her worst…**

 

**There’s got to be some way I can break through this.**

 

**If Dazai won’t tell us about the scissors, there’s got to be some other evidence that will make the case clearer!**

 

Urogataya: Hey, what about Torisei-kun’s dying message?

 

Murakami: His whaaaa? Did he write the password to his ATM account on the floor in blood?

 

Urogataya: Well, no-

 

Murakami: Not worth my time, then.

 

Crane: No, wait. You can’t just say that.

 

Urogataya: In the atlas that Torisei-kun was holding, he had circled Kagawa prefecture… does that have any significance?

 

Dazai: The fuck does that have to do with anything? Maybe it’s where this fucking hellhole is. Little bitch was useful for once before he died.

 

Irie: I keep telling you, that’s not the case. 

 

Giselle: In mystery novels, dying messages are rarely… uh, how do you say… straightforward… 

 

Handa: Kagawa prefecture, then. What could that mean? 

 

**I took a moment to ponder this - it wouldn’t be like Torisei to be cryptic, even in his final moments.**

 

**It would have to be something that he would understand.**

 

Urogataya: WAIT! I just remembered something!

 

Dazai: Do you want a fucking prize? Sit the fuck down. 

 

Baisotei: Dazai-san, enough. I don’t want to use force.

 

Urogataya: Monokuma, can ElectroIDs be used during trials?

 

Monokuma: Pfft! You millenials, always on your electronics. Back in my day, we didn’t HAVE any of those fancy humdingers! We poked at rocks with sticks!

 

Irie: … 

 

Monokuma: But yes, you can. 

 

Urogataya: A while ago, I was fiddling with my ElectroID, and… 

 

[FLASHBACK]

 

**_The rest of the day passed without very much consequence: no one really talked that much. I think everyone was still stewing over the day’s new motive. I passed a bit of time fiddling with my ElectroID - there were a few apps on there, and everyone had an expanded info page that listed things like their accomplishments and where they were from. Someone clearly put a lot of work into making these things._ **

 

[END FLASHBACK]

 

Urogataya: Torisei-kun’s dying message… it’s where the culprit is FROM! And since ElectroIDs list the hometowns of everyone here, we can find the culprit!

 

Handa: [nods] Very astute of you.

 

Dazai: [seething] … 

 

**Before I could do anything, Murakami took out his ElectroID and began casually scrolling through it.**

 

Murakami: Mmmmm, gimme just a second. Aha! I’ve got it!

 

**He held up the device for everyone to see.**

 

Murakami: Dazai’s the only one here from Kagawa. 

 

Nosaka: God dammit, Noboru, you’re so fuckin’ smart!

 

Crane: He barely did anything… 

 

Dazai: [seething] … 

 

Tachibana: D-dazai… chan… 

 

Dazai: Fucking. Die.

 

Urogataya: Dazai-san, I-

 

Dazai: Shut the FUCK up. Why the hell would I listen to someone who would rather listen to a fucking monopoly board and a delusional chuunibyou bitch than to me?

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Dazai: You fucking big-britches bitch. D-

 

Urogataya: DAZAI-SAN!! DO ME A FAVOR AND SHUT UP! 

 

Dazai: … 

 

Nosaka: Holy shit, she really-

 

Urogataya: You shut up too! 

 

Dazai: …

 

Dazai: [mumbling] ...what do you want from me. 

 

Urogataya: I’ve been thinking… if you went to bed after the seance like everyone else did… 

 

Urogataya: Why is your hair still up?

 

Dazai: … 

 

Irie: Where are you-

 

Urogataya: Please remove your hairpin.

 

Dazai: … 

 

**As everyone watched, she glowered at me with such immense hatred that I could feel a chill going down my spine.**

 

**Then, her shoulders slumped.**

 

**Dazai fumbled with her hair for a moment with uncharacteristically unsteady hands. She yanked the silver pin out of her hair, letting the pieces it was holding up fall in her face.**

 

**The “pin”... was a pen. A silver pen with faint bloodstains on the end.**

 

Handa: … 

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Tachibana: [teary-eyed] [sniffles]

 

Dazai: [staring down at the floor] … 

 

Irie: … 

 

Irie: Shall we… go over the case, then. 

 

Urogataya: O… okay. Let’s get started, then.

 

The culprit was not planning to murder because of the motive involving the secrets wheel - rather, Rowena-san’s seance gave them the perfect opportunity to do so. Unlike last time, this murder was premeditated - the culprit specifically laid out the crime scene so that they could do the dirty deed when the moment allowed for it. First, they went to work creating a note to lure Torisei-kun to the scene, making sure to specifically choose magazines that would frame Tachibana-san. We don’t know where the scissors that were used to cut the letters are, but since there aren’t any accessible pairs anywhere in the mall, we can assume that they came from someone’s dorm.

 

The culprit then planted the note on Torisei-kun’s door, and headed into the next phase of their plan - attending the seance. Using his fear of ghosts and the paranormal to their advantage, they volunteered for the ouija board ritual despite the fact that it goes against their character to do so. During this, they specifically moved the planchette to spell out answers that would scare Torisei-kun, depending on both his will and the fact that Rowena-san’s claims aren’t often taken seriously. With Torisei-kun sent off to his room and with the note in plain sight, the trap was set.

 

At the time specified by the note, Torisei-kun made his way to the bookstore. And there, the culprit was already waiting. While we don’t know what exactly happened, it’s clear that they managed to overpower Torisei and corner him towards the back of the store. From there, they jammed a pen into his neck and left him there to bleed out. It was a perfect plan.

 

...Or it would have been if the culprit knew anything about arteries - Torisei stayed alive for a few minutes while losing blood. During this, he managed to write a dying message in the atlas he had brought using another pen the culprit had planted as a red herring. He circled the culprit’s hometown… and then he died. The culprit didn’t know this upon returning, though, and set about planting evidence. They set up dead ends that led to Tachibana-san, and even knocked over a bookshelf in case the theory of the killer being someone stronger came up. It seemed like the perfect plan, but… 

 

Urogataya: Despite all your planning, you still didn’t succeed. 

 

Urogataya: Isn’t that right,  **Daian Dazai** ?

 

[BREAK!!]

  
  


**When I finished, I looked around at everyone. The reactions couldn’t have been more different from last time. While with Goto, many were dead-set on scorn and mild amusement, no one seemed sure how to feel now. Even I wasn’t sure.**

 

Dazai: … 

 

Dazai: ...heh. 

 

Dazai: Plan B, then. Monokuma, start the vote.

 

Baisotei: Wait, wh-

 

Monokuma: Wow! Eager, aren’t we? I was almost beginning to fall asleep. 

 

Monokuma: As always, there’s a screen on your podium. Please select the person you think is the murderer!

 

Monokuma: Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? It’s time to find out!

 

**The podium screens lit up again, displaying the same obnoxious bubble letters and headshots as before. Arakawa, Goto, and Torisei were greyed out this time.**

 

**I didn’t even look at everyone else making their votes. With a jumble of contradictory feelings writhing in my chest, I put in a vote for Dazai.**

 

**This trial… it’s changed everyone, even if they weren’t involved in the murder. There’s nothing left to hide.**

 

**Monokuma pressed a button on the side of the chair he was sitting on, and a graphic of a slot machine appeared on one of the courtroom walls. He pressed the button again, and the slots began to spin - I noticed that they also included the crudely drawn faces in place of names. The slots slowly came to a complete stop, and all three displayed the image of Dazai’s face.**

 

**The word “GUILTY!” flashed on top of the machine, and a jaunty little jingle played as imaginary confetti rained down.**

 

**No one clapped.**

 

**_CLASS TRIAL END_ **

  
  


Monokuma: Well, I’ll be! You’re all two for two! Daian Dazai WAS indeed the foul temptress who murdered Samuru Torisei in COLD BLOOD! It’s enough to give me goosebumps under my fur!

 

**It seemed like it would be simple - convicting someone who had not only killed in cold blood, but had began to blatantly insult everyone during the trial. Not only that, but she hadn’t even been close with anyone in the group.**

 

**But then… why did I feel so strange? We had gotten the culprit right and everything, but I wasn’t feeling the catharsis that I had been expecting when she was screaming in my face.**

 

Ando: ...Hm. 

 

Nosaka: I totally saw that coming-

 

Baisotei: Now is definitely not the time, Nosaka-kun. 

 

Tachibana: [teary-eyed] D-dazai-chan… wh-why?! Why would you do that?!

 

Tachibana: [crying] Why would you kill Torisei-kun! He d-didn’t do anything to hurt anybody! 

 

Dazai: He didn’t. 

 

Crane: Then why? If it wasn’t because of the motive, then why?

 

Dazai: … 

 

Watanabe: Hopeless. None of you are getting anywhere. 

 

Murakami: I don’t know what any of you expected from someone who straight up killed her dad and doesn’t feel bad about it.

 

Dazai: … 

 

Irie: That’s inappropriate for-

 

Murakami: What was it? Did he abuse you? Did you kill him in a fit of passion? Did-

 

Dazai: ...shut the fuck up. 

 

Dazai: My… my dad was the greatest person I’ve ever known. 

 

Urogataya: Huh…? 

 

[FLASHBACK]

 

[CG: Close-up of a man with black hair, his face partially obscured. He’s wearing a jacket and scarf. A young Dazai is clinging to his back piggyback-style, asleep. It’s snowing.]

 

Dazai: Dad was all I had. Mom died when I was young, and even with her we were dirt fucking poor. We weren’t able to pay rent.

 

Dazai: We started drifting. Going from place to place just to get by. I barely knew anything else. 

 

Dazai: It didn’t mean shit to me, though, since I had him. He told me he loved me. That I was his little girl. He sang to me when I was going to sleep. That was all I needed. 

 

Dazai: That was before he got sick. It got worse and worse over time, until he could barely stand up. Even though I was stupid and pathetic back then, I understood he was hurting. You don’t just ignore that.

 

[END FLASHBACK]

 

Dazai: I didn’t want to see that anymore. One night, I just took a couple of beer bottles from the trash and smashed them one by one over his head. I didn’t want to see him suffer anymore. 

 

Giselle: Daian… that is… 

 

Dazai: He was the one person I cared about, and you see how fucking well that turned out for me. 

 

Dazai: A little while after that, I was found in some alley by Dad’s cousin. He’d only just remembered he existed. This rich fucking bastard who took me into his goddamn hotel bullshit, and I hated him for it. 

 

Crane: Dazai-chan… I’m so sorry… 

 

Dazai: What?

 

Dazai: I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to hate me. 

 

Urogataya: But… but WHY? I don’t-

 

Handa: Easy, there. She still killed one of our number. 

 

Baisotei: Is that why you killed him?

 

Dazai: Ding ding ding. Very smart of you, I guess. 

 

Dazai: Truth is, I started caring. About all this. About everything.

 

Dazai: Me caring about fucking ANYTHING never works out. The one time I cared about something, I lost it. The only way to stop caring was to die. None of you were going to kill me, and Torisei was just an easy target. 

 

Dazai: I did what I had to do. 

 

**The melancholy look on her face was one I hadn’t seen before, but it somehow seemed to soften her features. By her sides, I could see her hands start to shake.**

 

Urogataya: Dazai-san. Caring about others means that you’re human, doesn’t it? You’re… you’re not as unfeeling as you say. I know that.

 

Dazai: Eh…? 

 

Urogataya: You didn’t need to… I mean… 

 

Dazai: … 

 

Dazai: You’ve never lost anyone close to you. Despite everything, you’re still a privileged little girl… 

 

Dazai: I won’t miss this. 

 

Baisotei: Why are you doing this now? You just opened up, Dazai-san.

 

Dazai: Ha.

 

Dazai: I don’t want to tarnish your memories of me. 

 

Rowena?: What?

 

Dazai: You don’t need to get all sympathetic over me. I just want to leave. Don’t look at me, don’t touch me. Let me go.

 

Dazai: More than my bullshit came out here. I’m not going to be the one to deal with that fallout. 

 

Handa: [thinking] … 

 

Dazai: And since you wanted it so much, here. Take it. 

 

**She stuck her hand in the waistband of her skirt, removed a pair of scissors, and thrust it onto the floor. I could see remnants of paper stuck to the blades.**

 

Rowena?: You kept the murder weapon AND an incriminating piece of evidence on you…? 

 

Dazai: If I survived, they would be a reminder. If not, then… 

 

Murakami: Tragic backstory or not, you’re still super difficult. 

 

Dazai: Shut up, nerd. 

 

Dazai: So in summary, fuck all of you. My giving a shit starts and ends here. You can go at each other’s throats without me. I know you will, and it’s why you should have done what I said. 

 

Monokuma: Now, then! I’ve prepared an extra-special punishment for Daian Dazai, the Super High School Level Dollmaker!

 

Baisotei: But… but why?!

 

Monokuma: Let’s give it everything we’ve got!

 

Dazai: Fuck you. When you reach the end of this, you’ll realize that you should have all died when you had the chance. 

 

Monokuma: Iiiiiit’s punishment time~!

  
  


**DAIAN DAZAI HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. COMMENCING EXECUTION!**

 

**_DAZAI DAZAI BOZU_ **

  
  


**The next I saw of Dazai was on the screen that had previously been used to display the vote results. Unlike last time, the area she had been dragged into looked different - it didn’t even appear to be inside. She was standing in front of an old shrine, and rain fell all around her. It landed in puddles at her feet and soaked her boots. She still had that same hard expression on her face that she always did.**

 

**She looked behind her at the shrine, and her eyes widened - hanging from its rafters were hundreds - no, thousands - of** **_teruteru bozu_ ** **dolls. All black-marker dotted eyes and all gently swaying. She gripped at her arms nervously.**

 

**From behind her, a procession of Monokumas decked out in raincoats and umbrellas marched, eventually surrounding her in a semicircle. She turned around, seemingly looking for a way out of her current situation.**

 

**One Monokuma came to the front of the group, holding a white sheet, a few markers, and a rope. Confusion was evident on Dazai’s face as she stared at it, unsure of what it was doing, until it slowly was replaced by recognition. For a moment, she looked like she was preparing to put up a fight, but her arms slumped to her sides in defeat. For a brief moment, Dazai looked up to the rainy sky and smiled a genuine smile.**

 

**In one quick instant, the Monokuma threw the sheet over Dazai, completely concealing her. It uncapped the markers and threw them as hard as it could… directly into where her eyes would be. They hit their targets, and two eye-shaped spots of blood begin to stain the sheet.**

 

**The other Monokumas overpowered her, driving the dollmaker onto her knees so that their leader could tie the rope around her neck in the shape of a noose. Then, after helping her back up, they parted in a clear path to the shrine. The Monokuma guided her as they walked up a set of stairs.**

 

**After tying the rope to one of the shrine’s rafters, it gave a slight push. For a moment, I swore I could see Dazai’s hands grasping at the rope around her throat, but she soon became limp. Another** **_teruteru bozu_ ** **among the tons already hanging from the building, with the bottom of a skirt and a pair of wet hiking boots swaying along with the rest of them.**

 

**As everyone watched, the rain cleared up, replaced by a sunny sky.**

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Tachibana: It… it happened again… 

 

Tachibana: [sobbing] I wanna go home! 

 

Crane: Dazai-chan… she’s gone. 

 

Murakami: Why do we care, though?

 

Baisotei: [taken aback] Who are you to say something like that?! She was one of our friends!

 

Murakami: [hands behind head] None of you liked her. I thought you gave up this leader thing after last time, Baisotei. Why are you pulling it now? 

 

Ando: Leave her alone… 

 

Nosaka: Don’t think I’m done with you, pussyboy! Ya dirty-

 

Handa: ENOUGH! 

 

**Everyone went quiet. Handa had been solemn after his secret had been revealed, but now… there was a fire behind his eyes that I hadn’t seen before.**

 

Handa: There is something I need to discuss with you all. Something pertinent.

 

Monokuma: Can you do it somewhere else? I rent this trial room, you know! Every second you waste here is another penny out of my pocket! 

 

Watanabe: You don’t have pockets. 

 

Monokuma: Semantics! Just- ugh, just get out already! I’ve had enough of you people!

 

**Grumbling, we all piled into the elevator. The ride up was, again, silent except for the clicking of machinery. Though Torisei’s body had been discovered early, the case had taken the majority of the day. My ElectroID said that it was already evening.**

 

**Torisei… Dazai…**

 

**I was never going to see either of them again.**

  
  


**When we reached the fountain, the elevator closed behind us and disappeared back into the ground. The fountain returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.**

 

Giselle: Is there something wrong, Akira? You seem… misdemeanored… 

 

Irie: That’s not what that means. 

 

Handa: You have no reason to trust me, especially after what you were just… told. It’s true, I will not deny that. I am a man of my word. 

 

Ando: I, uh. Wanna apologise for what y’all heard. I’m not a weird guy, I promise. That there bear… 

 

Urogataya: If I’m being honest, I don’t think anyone except Nosaka-kun really cares.

 

Nosaka: HEY!

 

Handa: There is something odd that I have noticed… something about everyone here. 

 

Handa: [thinking] Urogataya-san, you did happen to tell me about your aunt. 

 

**Huh…? He actually remembered that?**

 

Urogataya: Aunt Saemi? What about her? Do you know her? 

 

Handa: I do not. Please, give me a moment. 

 

Handa: And you. Hanakiyo-san. 

 

**The girl formerly known as Rowena Christine St. Bathory unsuredly pointed to herself.**

 

Rowena?: Me?

 

Handa: I had my suspicions, but they were indeed confirmed by the trial. Are you in any way related to Yayako Hanakiyo, the filmmaker? 

 

Rowena?: [mumbling] Yes. She’s my grandma. 

 

Handa: So what I am trying to say here is… 

 

Handa: Please. If you are related to a former Hope’s Peak alumni, raise your hand. 

 

**Handa raised his, and waited for everyone to follow.**

 

**And, much to my surprise, they did… one by one. Giselle looked confused, but everyone else was casting suspicious glances at each other. This revelation… it changed some things, but I didn’t know what.**

 

Baisotei: Whoever gathered us here… 

 

Handa: Did it intentionally, as a result of our relations. 

 

Nosaka: The hell would they want with-

 

Watanabe: Some kinda hostage situation? 

 

Baisotei: No. It doesn’t feel like that at all. This is something else. 

 

Tachibana: But… but why? Who would do that? 

 

Crane: That’s what we’re trying to find out.

 

Irie: [thinking] Who, indeed… 

 

**And just like that, everyone was suspicious of one another again. The atmosphere of dread felt thick enough to curdle, and my stomach was tossing and turning inside of my body.**

 

**Aunt Saemi… my parents back home…**

 

**Were they in danger too?**

 

**Though I tried and tried desperately to convince myself otherwise, I could feel in my gut that this murder would not be the last one.**

 

**No matter what I did, I was absolutely powerless in this game of death.**

  
  


**_CHAPTER 2: GIVING RISE TO THE GOLEM_ **

 

**_END_ **

 

**_12 STUDENTS REMAIN_ **

  
  


_ Item obtained: Facepaint _

_ “A tub that holds an odd blue substance. According to its label, it’s used by a South American tribe to indicate that someone is welcome into their territory.” _

 

_ Item obtained: Scissors _

_ “They look surprisingly rusty and well-used. Bits of paper are still stuck to the blades, with sentences that are no longer legible written on them.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of chapter 2! Really sorry for how long this took, I started working in the middle of it and I had a lot of other things on my plate.
> 
> You may notice that there were a bunch of format changes during the later parts of this chapter - this is because I didn't really know what I was doing when I started writing this, and I wanted to improve the general quality. Chapter 3 should be a LOT more streamlined. 
> 
> FTE VOTING FOR CHAPTER 3 IS OPEN! Two characters are already locked in to have FTEs for plot reasons/because of personal requests, but I'm hoping to have more. Vote here: http://www.strawpoll.me/14585291


	20. Chapter 3: Reinventing the Wheel (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Sorry for the wait, I've begun to collaborate on an important project with a friend of mine.

[CG: Black screen]

 

**…**

 

**……**

 

**………**

 

???: …

 

???: ...mi?

 

???: Rumi. Hi. 

 

???: I’m back. 

 

Urogataya: H… huh…? 

 

**…**

 

[CG: Fade-in. It’s a doorway. A hall is visible outside, but the POV is from inside of the room. Standing in the doorway, wearing a brown-and-white school uniform, is a very familiar redhead]

 

Arakawa: ...Are you listening?

 

Urogataya: O-oh! Sorry, I must have spaced out. How was dance practice? 

 

Arakawa: As usual, it was fine. The other girl there is insufferable… 

 

Arakawa: But practice is a necessity if I want to progress. 

 

Urogataya: Arakawa-chan, you’re one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen! You’re gonna do great at exams, practice or not. 

 

Arakawa: …

 

Arakawa: ...Thank you.

 

Arakawa: But I do regret having to spend so much time at practice. 

 

Urogataya: Why’s that? You just said-

 

Arakawa: I know what I said. It’s necessary, but… there are other things I need to make time for.

 

Urogataya: Eh…?

 

Arakawa: The truth is…

 

Arakawa: I want to… spend……… more time…………. with………. y……….

 

**…**

 

**…**

 

**…**

 

**…**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: Ahem, ahem. Mindless consumers, or should I say students! This is an announcement from the Hope’s Peak Executive Committee!

 

Monokuma: The time is now 7 AM. Goooood morning, everyone! 

 

Monokuma: Now, get up! I’ve opened up another floor for you ungrateful scrubs, so get cracking! 

 

**…**

 

**Huh?**

 

[CG: Urogataya lying awake in bed. She’s clutching at the covers]

 

Urogataya: Wh… wha… 

 

**What in the world… was that?**

  
  


**_CHAPTER 3: REINVENTING THE WHEEL_ **

 

**_START_ **

 

**_BUY ONE GET ONE FREE: (AB)NORMAL DAYS_ **

 

**I’ve had strange dreams while I was here before, but nothing as vivid as that.**

 

**Not only that, but… Arakawa…**

 

**…**

 

**Somehow, I managed to make my way out of bed and get dressed. My mind kept screaming at me to stay in bed - maybe if I never got up, no one would die. But there was still the matter of the new floor… I should probably go check that out.**

 

**Plus, I’m hungry.**

 

**I was about to leave the room when I remembered the pile of stuff lying on my desk. Monokuma must have somehow gotten into my room before I came in last night, because I had two new mementos from the last few casualties waiting for me. I had thrown Dazai’s scissors in the trash can as hard as I could… before awkwardly removing them and placing them back on the desk.**

 

**Looking at the pile now…**

 

**I slid Arakawa’s ring onto my finger and exited the room.**

  
  


**At the Food Court, I was expecting a nice, slightly-calm breakfast… but…**

 

Nosaka: KYAAAAAA!

 

Nosaka: Oh my god, Urogataya… it’s terrible, terribleeeee… hold me, I feel faint!

 

Urogataya: Wh-what are you doing?! Get off of me! 

 

Irie: Go make a fool of yourself somewhere else, would you? 

 

**After managing to shake Nosaka off, I looked around the room. Not everyone was there, but that wasn’t what caught my attention.**

 

**Coming from one of the stall kitchens was… smoke?!**

 

Crane: ...Morning, Urogataya-chan. Sorry this is what you had to wake up to.

 

Urogataya: What’s going on? Isn’t Handa-san in there?

 

Crane: Well, that’s what you would think… 

 

Crane: But he didn’t show up to breakfast today. 

 

Giselle: Akira is… asleep!

 

**How would you know that?**

 

Giselle: Did not want to wake him. Junichi say he know how to cook, but… 

 

Giselle: ...You see how well that turns out. 

 

Murakami: Why didn’t you cook, anyway? You’re the other one here who makes food, aren’t you?

 

Giselle: Can only make desserts. 

 

Ando: I woulda offered, but… ain’t no one here that would trust anything I made now… 

 

Irie: We keep telling you, no one cares about what happened in the trial.

 

Ando: … 

 

Nosaka: FORGET THAT! Shit’s still burning! Urogataya, you go check it out!

 

Urogataya: Why me?!

 

**I got pushed over to the kitchen - against my will, I might add - and saw a very strange sight.**

 

[CG: Kitchen interior. A very frazzled-looking Baisotei is trying to handle a smoking pan. Watanabe is slumped over, passed out in the kitchen corner]

 

Baisotei: A-ah… good morning, Urogataya-san.

 

Urogataya: What the hell is going on?! You sound really calm… 

 

Baisotei: Don’t you worry about me. I came in here to check on Watanabe-kun, and I found him like this… get him out of here! 

 

Urogataya: Wh-what?? Okay!

 

**Watanabe was a lot heavier than I thought he’d be…**

 

**But with enough pulling, I managed to drag him out of the kitchen.**

 

Giselle: J-Junichi?!?!   
  


Nosaka: Oh my god, he fuckin’ dead. 

 

Irie: The BDA hasn’t gone off, so clearly he’s still alive. Calm yourselves. 

 

Murakami: Who’s gonna be the one to do mouth-to-mouth? Because it’s not gonna be me. 

 

Ando: We don’t need that. He’s wakin’ up, look. 

 

**And just as he said…**

 

Watanabe: ...ngh. 

 

Watanabe: Why are you all looking at me like that.

 

Crane: You passed out… in the middle of the kitchen. 

 

Watanabe: Oh. 

 

Watanabe: Oh yeah, that’s fine. 

 

Giselle: Fine…? 

 

Urogataya: Really, though. Are you okay?

 

Watanabe: Yeah. I haven’t had my CFS meds for a while. 

 

Watanabe: When I go off my meds, I get… really tired… 

 

Watanabe: Is something burning…? 

 

Nosaka: You’re fuckin’ unbelievable! 

 

Irie: Do any of you hear that?

 

**The room went quiet at that. Sure enough, I could hear the sound of sirens wailing in the distance.**

 

Giselle: The police?!  _ Danke Gott _ ! We’re saved!

 

Goro: No, ‘s comin’ from inside of the building… 

 

**The sound grew closer and closer…**

 

**Eventually, it arrived.**

 

[CG: Monokuma. He’s wearing a fireman’s helmet and brandishing a hose and fire extinguisher]

 

Monokuma: Where’s the fire?! When there’s danger, the dashingly handsome fireman arrives! Monokuma! 

 

Crane: What would you know about danger? You didn’t do anything to stop the murders.

 

Monokuma: Don’t you be smug with me! Property damage is no laughing matter! 

 

Watanabe: ...Is this some kind of joke. 

 

Monokuma: Now, off to the kitchen I go! To serve JUSTICE!

 

**As everyone watched, Monokuma ran into the kitchen. We couldn’t see what was going on inside, but white mist started blasting out of the doorway, accompanied by Baisotei screaming. When the mist cleared, the smoke had subsided, and a soaking wet Baisotei exited the kitchen.**

 

Baisotei: … 

 

Baisotei: ...Monokuma… 

 

Monokuma: Geez! I leave you kids alone for five minutes and you almost burn down the place. Where’s Chef Ramsay, anyway?! 

 

Urogataya: He’s in his room… 

 

Urogataya: Come to think of it, where are Tachibana-san and Rowena-san?

 

Murakami: You mean, Hanakiyo-san? Beats the shit out of me. 

 

Baisotei: You wouldn’t happen to know that, would you, Monokuma?

 

Monokuma: Do you seriously think I can keep track of you kids? It’s like trying to count grains of sand! Grains of sand that are always running around and screaming and NOT KILLING EACH OTHER!

 

Monokuma: ...But that wasn’t what I came here to say. 

 

Irie: Say it, then. Quit wasting my time. 

 

Monokuma: I don’t know if any of you have ears, since I said this in the morning announcement, but I unblocked the second floor escalator. You can go up to the third floor now! 

 

**The third floor…**

 

**That’s a lot of floors for a mall. Maybe we’ll find some way to escape there?**

 

Monokuma: And before you say anything, there’s no exit on the third floor.

 

**Damn it!**

 

Monokuma: That’s all I have to say! If you set stuff on fire again, I WON’T come and put it out next time. See you later!

 

**He disappeared in a puff of smoke after that.**

 

Ando: He’s gone… 

 

Baisotei: I would say that we should go explore the third floor, but I… have no authority.

 

Urogataya: I think everyone was going to do that, anyway.

 

**For food, we ended up eating some of the packaged sushi that Handa had pointed out on our first day here. It wasn’t as good as the breakfasts I had been used to, but it got the job done.**

 

**In the middle of breakfast, someone walked into the Food Court.**

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: ...Hi. 

 

Urogataya: Rowena-san! Uh, good morning! 

 

Nosaka: Hanakiyo!

 

Baisotei: Don’t be rude. Is there a name you prefer?

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: ...Whatever. I don’t care. 

 

Giselle: … 

 

**That was all she said for the duration of the meal. The trial must have affected her more than everyone else… particularly her secret getting revealed…**

 

**I’d have to talk to her later.**

  
  


**Everyone dispersed after breakfast. I decided to head up to the third floor.**

 

**But first… I realized that there was something I would have to do.**

 

**I returned to the dorms. It took me a bit to find the dorm I was looking for, but the portrait on the door let me know that this was the one.**

 

**Hesitantly, I knocked, and the door creaked open.**

 

[CG: Crack between door and doorframe. Peeking out is Handa]

 

Handa: Is there something you need…?

 

**He’s still in his pajamas…**

 

**Composed as ever, though. I’m impressed.**

 

Urogataya: Good morning, Handa-san. Is everything okay?

 

Handa: Everything is  _ fine _ , thank you very much. I just… 

 

Urogataya: ?

 

Handa: I simply need some time to think things over. I’ll be fine by the evening.

 

Handa: Leave me be. 

 

Urogataya: Well… that’s great to hear! Watanabe-kun almost set the kitchen on fire, so… 

 

Handa: … 

 

Handa: Blast it. I’ll be out in a bit. Just leave me be for now, okay?

 

Urogataya: Okay, Handa-san.

 

**With that, he closed the door…**

 

**I heard a sound afterwards that sounded like someone diving back into bed.**

 

**It’s not my business to police what he’s doing with his time, anyway. It’s time for me to go explore the new floor!**

  
  


**Floor 3…**

 

**I rode up the newly unblocked escalator to get there. The first thing that I noticed was that the electrified barrier had been moved to the other escalator, to prevent us from going to to the fourth floor. It was to be expected, though.**

 

**This floor was laid out similarly to the others, but like the second, the ceiling was painted a different color. Instead of the dark sky of the first floor and the daytime sky of the second, this one pulsed with the orange and yellow hues of sunrise.**

 

**It also had considerably fewer stores than the previous floor, and only two of them weren’t blocked off. A large part of the floor was taken up by one big storefront that** **_was_ ** **open - it had a pattern of fish painted on the side. I wonder what that could be?**

 

**I decided to start with the smaller stores first, though. There were less of them.**

 

**The first store I went into was definitely a florist’s shop. It made Ando’s remark from before about the plastic flowers seem a little silly, since the place looked surprisingly well-kept. A few people were hanging around here, too… guess it’s time to investigate.**

 

_ [Examine flowers] _

 

**There are huge displays of flowers everywhere… they almost make the place smell. It would be a pleasant smell, if it weren’t so many different kinds of plants. As it is, it gives me a headache.**

 

**They’re very well-managed, though… they’re all still alive. A cursory glance at the dirt in one of the pots told me that it was wet.**

 

**Who’s taking care of these?**

 

_ [Talk to Ando] _

 

Ando: It’s lookin’ like there’s some semblance of nature here at long last… I’m so relieved, I could eat a leaf. 

 

Urogataya: Don’t! Eat a leaf, I mean. That doesn’t sound good. 

 

Ando: True indeed. I ain’t sure if Monokuma would count that as vandalism, either. 

 

Ando: Still, it’s nice to see somethin’ living. Aside from other folks, I mean. 

 

Urogataya: And like you mentioned earlier… if we ever run out of food, we can eat these.

 

Ando: Well… definitely not all of these.

 

Urogataya: Huh?

 

Ando: See for yourself. 

 

_ [Examine poisonous plants display] _

 

Urogataya: These are… 

 

**There’s one section of plants that are sectioned off from the rest… most of them don’t appear to be flowers, either. Instead, they’re behind a sign with a skull and crossbones on it. There’s even little signs poking out of the dirt detailing what they can do to you if ingested…**

 

**This seems like a recipe for disaster.**

 

Urogataya: It’s just like Monokuma to put these here, though… 

 

Ando: Mm-hm. Seems like he’s hankerin’ for someone to murder again. Though, after the last trial, I don’t think that’s a possibility… 

 

Urogataya: Let’s hope not. 

 

_ [Examine poster] _

 

**There’s a poster behind the poisonous plants display… it almost seems like a health PSA poster, if it was designed by someone with a sick sense of humor.**

 

_ “Remember: be careful around poisonous plants! They can be poisonous either through ingestion or by touching them, so always use gloves. If plants have leaves in sets of three or alternate on their vine, leave them alone!” _

 

_ “...Unless, that is, you’re using them to kill someone. Then by all means, use them all you like.” _

 

**Next to that awkward paragraph was a photograph of a girl wearing gloves, holding a pot with plants in it. She was smiling at the camera. An epithet below the picture revealed her identity.**

 

_ Hope’s Peak alumnus - former SHSL Toxicologist Megumi Dokujima _

 

**…**

 

**...Does this person know that this is what her photo is being used for?**

 

_ [Talk to Tachibana] _

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chaaaan! Heeeey! 

 

Urogataya: Y-you’re here?! But you weren’t at breakfast… 

 

Tachibana: Ehh?

 

Tachibana: Oh, right… I skipped breakfast to go exploring! 

 

Tachibana: I hope I didn’t worry any of you, that would be totally bogus of me… uuu… 

 

**Seems like she’s back to normal… still, this is a little concerning.**

 

Urogataya: Tachibana-san, are you… 

 

Tachibana: Alright? Yep! I’m fine! You don’t need to worry about me. 

 

Urogataya: I-I mean, if you say so… 

 

Urogataya: If you want to talk, though, I’m always around. 

 

Tachibana: Maybe later! I’m busy looking at all of these flowers. Do you know anything about flower language, Urogataya-chan?

 

Urogataya: Hanakotoba? I mean, I know a little. Why?

 

Tachibana: You know, the kuroyuri flower… 

 

Tachibana: In hanakotoba, if you send it to someone, you could either be professing your love to them or putting a curse on them.

 

Urogataya: A curse?! 

 

Tachibana: I always thought that was interesting~!

 

**It sounds a little morbid…**

  
  


**There wasn’t much left to do at the flower shop, so I left and continued on to the next one.**

 

**This one was filled with shelves containing old DVDs, as well as the newest merchandise for some shows I knew about, but wasn’t that familiar with. A DVD store… are these things still around? I thought they all got closed.**

 

**A few people are hanging around here, too.**

 

_ [Talk to Baisotei] _

 

Baisotei: Gh, it’s no good… 

 

Urogataya: What’s no good?

 

Baisotei: Oh. You must have snuck up on me.

 

Baisotei: I was trying to see if I could get a signal on one of these TVs, so I could turn on the news and see what’s going on… but the signal’s jammed. Monokuma really thinks of everything… 

 

Urogataya: There’s a blocker?

 

Baisotei: It appears so. All these do are play DVDs. I thought that I could… do something useful for once… 

 

**These past few days have really taken a toll on Baisotei, huh…**

 

Urogataya: Ahh, but this is a good discovery! We could have a movie night or something. That could be pretty fun, right?

 

Baisotei: I suppose so. Though I’m not sure anyone else would want to watch my romcoms, ahah… 

 

_ [Examine TV] _

 

**There’s a TV here, playing some cartoon that I’ve never seen before. I decided to watch it briefly.**

 

_ Punchy girl: Enough with this mirror business! I dunno why you’re all so obsessed with it, but it’s pissin’ me off! _

 

_ Enthusiastic girl: No, I’m tellin’ you! I heard it talk! █████ heard it, too! And you can take that to the bank!  _

 

_ Sarcastic boy: I’ve been practicing my zingers in front of it, and lately they’ve been so good that even I’M wounded from them. No joke. _

 

_ Punchy girl: Don’t enable them! You’re all obsessed with this thing! It’s STUPID!  _

 

_ Loud boy: I mean, it’s been workin’ for me! I vented in front of it for an hour last night, and lately I’ve been feelin’ so good that I could shout! _

 

_ Sarcastic boy: You’re shouting already.  _

 

_ Punchy girl: This is a nightmare.  _

 

**…**

 

**What the hell is this?**

 

Watanabe: Oh. That’s one of my favorite episodes of that show. 

 

Urogataya: You… understood any of that?

 

Watanabe: I mean, you need context. You should watch it sometime. 

 

Urogataya: I… maybe later. It seems pretty confusing.

 

Watanabe: (shrugs) It’s your funeral. 

 

_ [Talk to Watanabe] _

 

Urogataya: What are you looking at, anyway?

 

Watanabe: They have the limited edition Kaiju Collection box set here. I’ve been looking all over for this. It’s impossibly rare.

 

Urogataya: You like that sort of stuff?

 

**I didn’t know he had a non-apathetic opinion about anything…**

 

Watanabe: Well, yeah. Kaiju movies? The best. 

 

Urogataya: I’ve only seen one, and the acting was really bad in it… maybe it’s kind of niche.

 

Watanabe: The people acting doesn’t matter. It’s all about seeing a giant monster destroy Tokyo for the millionth time. 

 

Urogataya: I mean, if you’re into that. 

 

Watanabe: Oh, believe me. I am. 

 

Urogataya: Right. 

 

_ [Examine merchandise shelf] _

 

**There’s all matter of things hanging from and sitting on top of this shelf - shirts, plushies, action figures, and other collectables. From a glance, I can recognize some stuff from** **_Justice Robo_ ** **and** **_Sunny Witch Esper Itou_ ** **… whatever the second thing is.**

 

**None of it seems worth taking, though. I think the last time I watched cartoons was in middle school.**

 

_ [Talk to Rowena?] _

 

Rowena?: Hmmph… 

 

**Oof, everyone’s really down as of late…**

 

Urogataya: This place must be great for you to hang out in. Maybe you can finally show me some of those horror movies you told me about.

 

Rowena?: Uh… maybe. I guess. 

 

Urogataya: I mean, you really appreciate this kind of occult stuff.

 

Rowena?: Occult… stuff?

 

Rowena?: Foolish. The dark arts are nothing to be trifled with! Malpractice could destroy your entire soul from the inside out, and only a trained acolyte such as… 

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: Myself… could… 

 

**For a second, I swore that the light came back to her eyes… but it immediately faded.**

 

**It doesn’t seem that she’s in any state to talk right now. I’ll leave her alone.**

  
  


**That seemed like it was all the video store had to offer, so it was finally time to check out the big building on the other side. I can’t say I had any real idea of what it was, so I was excited to go in. Well, as excited as someone being held in a building against their will can be.**

 

**As it turned out, it was an aquarium. Not only that, but one with multiple rooms, with the one I entered being the lobby. There weren’t any actual fish here, but a variety of nautical memorabilia was laid about.**

 

_ [Examine welcome sign] _

 

**Frustratingly, this was blocked out in the same way that the mall sign on the previous floor had been. I used my minimal knowledge of English to try and decipher it.**

 

_ Welcome to the ------l-- ------a- Mall Aquarium! _

 

**At least it gave me more letters to work with to figure out where this place was… but not by much.**

 

**There was a drawing of a cartoon dolphin wearing a sailor hat just below. Just sitting there. Mocking me. It filled me with an inexplicable rage, and I had to turn away.**

 

_ [Examine diving suit] _

 

**There was an old-timey diving suit on display in one of the corners of the lobby. The back was actually hollowed out, so you could step up behind it and someone in front of you could take a picture that would make you look like you were wearing the suit.**

 

**I decided to give it a try.**

 

**…**

 

**...This is stupid.**

 

_ [Talk to Giselle] _

 

Giselle: Hello, Rumi… have you seen fish? 

 

Urogataya: I just got here, so no. I haven’t. 

 

Giselle: Awawa! My mistake! 

 

Giselle: Still, they are very pretty… are not many fish like this in Germany. 

 

Urogataya: Well, they’re probably imported. 

 

Giselle: Is too bad that you and I, neither are the “super high school level marine biologist”, no?

 

Urogataya: That’s true… but I could think of more useful talents for this situation.

 

Urogataya: SHSL Escape Artist, for one.

 

Giselle: … 

 

**I don’t think she knows what that means… and I don’t know what the German word for it is. Oh, well.**

  
  


**There were two entryways in the room - one to my right, and one to my left. I decided to go to the right.**

 

**It actually opened up into a room I assumed was the children’s area. There were several small tanks with small, harmless sea animals in them, and in the middle of the area was a touch pool. I could see Nosaka jabbing at something in the pool with a stick, but I decided to avoid him for now.**

 

_ [Examine seahorse tank] _

 

**There’s a bunch of tiny seahorses floating around in here. The water is clean, so someone must have been taking care of them… huh.**

 

_ [Examine crab tank] _

 

**There is only one step to the crab cycle, and it is crab.**

 

**Looking at these makes my mouth water… I wonder if Handa would be opposed to cooking them?**

 

**…**

 

**I’m disgusting.**

 

_ [Examine dolphin standee] _

 

**There this fucker is again. Just standing there. Mocking me. I’m almost tempted to kick it over.**

 

_ [Talk to Nosaka] _

 

Urogataya: What in the world are you doing?!

 

Nosaka: What do you think I’m doing? Interactin’ with the local goddamn wildlife is what I’m doing. 

 

**He was poking a sea cucumber in the touch pool with a stick.**

 

Urogataya: You’re hurting him, don’t do that!

 

Nosaka: This shit happens all the time. If these things get poked, they puke their guts out. I wanna see it. 

 

Urogataya: Ugh… can’t you make yourself useful or something?

 

Nosaka: By doin’ what?! I checked around the whole goddamn place. No exits, no windows, no nothin’. This entire floor is fuckin’ useless. 

 

**Huh. I guess he actually looked around.**

 

Nosaka: Seems like this is a rich people mall. The kind where people carry their yappy dogs around in purses. If only there were real people here… I might be able to actually make a buck. 

 

Urogataya: So, because you have no one to swindle money out of, you’re torturing animals?

 

Nosaka: Sweetheart, the kids today call it a coping mechanism. Get with it.

 

Urogataya: That’s not what a coping mechanism is… 

 

_ [Examine touch pool] _

 

**There’s a pool in the ground here, with harmless animals for kids to touch. Horseshoe crabs, starfish, sea urchins, and even a few fish.**

 

**With no kids around, though, it’s kind of sad looking.**

  
  


**Entering the next room proved that it was entirely different from the last. This was a fairly big room, with huge tanks that had coral reefs inside. All manner of fish swam about inside, and a sign on the wall indicated that this was the coral reef room - well, I could probably have figured that out sooner or later.**

 

_ [Talk to Crane] _

 

Crane: Now, this is my kind of scene. 

 

Urogataya: You like fish, Omiata-kun?

 

Crane: Well, yeah! My dad was a fisherman. We used to go out all the time. 

 

Crane: I live in a coastal town, anyway. 

 

Urogataya: This does seem like a nice place to relax… maybe with a book from the book store or something.

 

Crane: Mmmm, you’ve got the right idea about that. I may have to try that later. 

 

_ [Examine fish tank]  _

 

**Look at all these fish… just swimming around in here. I bet they don’t know that they’re in a killing game.**

 

**I envy that kind of existence.**

 

_ [Talk to Murakami] _

 

Murakami: My darling Urogataya, we meet again. How my heart has ached for you!! 

 

Murakami: … 

 

Murakami: Pfft. The look on your face… 

 

Urogataya: Oh, enough already. What are you doing here?

 

Murakami: Can’t a man look at some fish without being lambasted for it? 

 

Urogataya: I mean… 

 

Murakami: It’s weird, though. How long have we been here, now? Like, a week?

 

Murakami: And you haven’t seen anyone else here, right?

 

Urogataya: No…? What’s your point?

 

Murakami: Why are all these fish still alive? Has someone been feeding them? 

 

Urogataya: I have noticed that, actually. Maybe there’s some kind of feeding system?

 

Murakami: Doesn’t look it. I could ask Irie later, but my theory is that we’re being held hostage by a ghost. Or a creepy clown. Or the Bye Bye Man. 

 

**...Moving on, then…**

  
  


**The final room in the aquarium led back into the lobby, but it appeared to be one of the more interesting rooms. The tanks were contained in the walls, and they all appeared to only be filled with jellyfish - gently pulsating, and softly glowing with a pale light. The tanks came up to a short area near the ceiling, where there was space for someone to feed them.**

 

**Aside from that, there’s not much here…**

 

_ [Talk to Irie] _

 

Irie: Jellyfish… fascinating animals.

 

Urogataya: I didn’t know you knew about biology, Irie-san.

 

Irie: I don’t. 

 

Urogataya: Ah.

 

Irie: But they do have an interesting shape and aesthetic to them. It’s something that I would like to incorporate into my designs one day. 

 

Urogataya: What kind of things  _ do _ you incorporate, Irie-san?

 

Irie: Well, you’ve been to the Kobe stadium, right?

 

Irie: Soft angles, mostly… minimalism. Simplicity in structure and design. 

 

Urogataya: I… I see. 

 

**I really don’t…**

 

Irie: This new floor has given me more findings about this mall to look over. It’s getting stranger and stranger, it seems.

 

Urogataya: What do you mean?

 

Irie: I’ll tell you when I’ve figured out exactly what it is.

 

**It sounds like you don’t really know what you’re talking about…**

  
  


**After I was done exploring, I returned to my room.**

 

**I still have more time in the day, though…**

 

**Maybe I should hang out with someone?**

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of crediting, this time - megumi dokujima is an oc belonging to my friend addy. the people on the tv show belong to... well, some people. you know how it is
> 
> Free Time Events are coming up next!! you can vote here: http://www.strawpoll.me/14585291
> 
> All comments are appreciated! Feel free to leave your predictions, theories, and anything else you have to say down below. Thank you!


	21. Chapter 3: Reinventing the Wheel (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: mentions of pedophilia and assault. these happen after the dinner scene. please skip the end of the chapter if you are not comfortable with them and it could potentially be upsetting to you - these scenes are not integral to the plot, and i don't want anyone forcing themself to read it if it could be harmful to them.

**In the end, I decided to follow my gut and force myself to socialize with people, despite the fact that I had been socializing with people all day. It was easier back before all this, when I could just text my friends…**

 

**That wasn’t the time to be thinking about that, though - especially if two years really** **_had_ ** **passed like Monokuma had said.**

 

**Two years… do my friends from school still remember me?**

 

**…**

 

**Now’s not the time to be thinking about that! I need to hang out with people, not lie in my bed all depressed! I could do that later, when it was a socially acceptable time to lie in my bed and be depressed!**

 

**Full of determination, I practically punched the door open and ran out of the room.**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

  
  


**Earlier, when checking out the third floor, I had realized that the flower shop appealed to me - especially as a perfumer. It reminded me of home, somehow… and in order to recapture that, maybe I should head up there and see if anyone else is around.**

 

**As I expected, the flower shop wasn’t exactly a hub of activity. Especially since more interesting sections of the mall had just opened up, and the only thing to really do here was… look at flowers. Maybe I should have thought this through better.**

 

**At the very least, there was someone here who could share in my boredom - Giselle. I hadn’t really hung out with the chocolatier very much… maybe this could be the opportunity I needed to get to know her better.**

 

[Talk to Giselle]

 

Giselle: [Tenting hands] I am… still left to wonder. Monokuma’s next  _ motiv _ … know not what it could be, no. 

 

**Should I hang out with Giselle?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Giselle: [Flustered] Ah! You wish to hang out… with me?!

 

Giselle: W-well! We shall conversate, yes?! That is what we will do!

 

Urogataya: I wasn’t planning to do anything else, unless you had any ideas.

 

Giselle: Ah… 

 

Giselle: ...I was supposed to make a plan?!

 

Urogataya: That wasn’t what I meant, really… let’s just talk.

  
  


**As I had promised, I made small talk with Giselle for a while. It became clear to me over time that she’s probably more socially skilled than I thought she was… it was probably just the language barrier that made her so flustered all the time. Learning another language isn’t easy. She might even be smarter than she lets on.**

 

**I didn’t tell her this, but I think that we grew closer.**

  
  


Giselle: Ah, Rumi. Have been meaning to say, actually… 

 

Giselle: I think we are very similar, you and I.

 

Urogataya: Really? What makes you say that?

 

Giselle: Er- no, could be simply…  _ wie sagt man _ … coincidence? 

 

Urogataya: No, no. I wanna hear what you think. 

 

Giselle: Ah, if you say that. 

 

Giselle: Yes, but we are both company heiresses. You to yours, mine to my  _ opa _ ’s… 

 

Urogataya: Opa? 

 

Giselle: My grandfather. He found the company long, long ago. 

 

Urogataya: Ah.

 

**For a second, I thought she said something entirely different… I’m glad she didn’t say what I thought she said, at least.**

 

Urogataya: Were the two of you close? 

 

Giselle: Erm… he is still alive. 

 

Urogataya: O-oh.

 

Giselle: But yes, we are. I do hope he is doing alright… 

 

Giselle: But  _ Opa _ is a strong man. Am sure he is fine. 

 

**She seems pretty attached to him - I guess it’s kind of like me, and how I get along with my aunt a little better than I do my parents.**

 

Urogataya: Yeah, that comparison makes sense. I hope he’s okay, too. 

 

Giselle:  _ Danke _ , Rumi. Now, euhh… 

 

Giselle: Not only, but we also both make the things that make people happy. 

 

Urogataya: Everyone  _ does _ love chocolate… unless you’re allergic, I guess. 

 

Giselle: You’re allergic?

 

Urogataya: No, I mean- I’m not allergic, no. 

 

Giselle: … 

 

Giselle: Do you think about something, Rumi?

 

**Huh?**

 

Urogataya: I mean, I think about things a lot. 

 

Giselle: No, no. I mean, now. Something is in your mind, correct? 

 

Urogataya: I mean, kind of. 

 

Urogataya: Does makeup really make people happy? It seems like it makes them more stressed about presenting well, if anything… 

 

Giselle: I do not think that is a big concern. With some, it make them feel better about themselves. 

 

Urogataya: I dunno, I just… think about it sometimes, I guess. I shouldn’t be  _ that _ concerned, money is money, but-

 

Giselle: You are a kindhearted person, Rumi. I am sure you make people happy. 

 

Urogataya: ...You too, Giselle-chan. 

 

Giselle: Ahaha! We are practically  _ schwestern _ now, are we? 

 

Urogataya: I d-don’t know what that means, but aren’t we moving too fast?!

 

Giselle: Ehh?? 

 

Giselle: I think you misunderstand… 

 

**For someone I’ve barely talked to, there’s more similarities between Giselle and I than I would have thought - it’s surprising, when things work out that way. I’m sure that I’ll have to talk to her again to understand her better, but it’s good to have someone with a similar situation close at hand.**

 

**I think I understand Giselle better now.**

  
  


**After bidding Giselle goodbye, I returned to my room.**

 

**I think I have more free time left, though - maybe I should hang out with someone else until dinner?**

  
  


**I decided to return to the third floor so that I could scope it out more. I was planning on going to the aquarium to check out the fish, but I caught sight of Watanabe in the video store. The last time I talked to him, it had been pretty interesting… he didn’t talk about himself much in a group, either. Maybe I could find out something else about him.**

 

[Talk to Watanabe]

 

Watanabe: Y’know how bears hibernate? I’m gonna try doing that.

 

Watanabe: Would it be a legit reason to be excused from a trial. That’s what I want to know.

 

**Should I hang out with Watanabe?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Watanabe: Oh, word. You ever seen  _ Kick of the Big Dipper? _

 

Urogataya: ...Can’t say I have. 

 

Watanabe: Then you haven’t lived. Today we’re gonna watch it. 

 

**I spent several hours binge-watching anime with Watanabe. I didn’t really understand any of it, but at least he seemed like he was getting really into it. I tried to match his excitement… at least, I think it was excitement. I haven’t really seen Watanabe get excited about much of anything. Well, he sure was displaying an emotion, all right.**

 

**I think that we grew closer.**

  
  


Watanabe: ...And that’s the first season. Unless you want to watch the movie, but your eyes look like they’re going to melt out of your skull. 

 

Urogataya: I’m g-good, really… 

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Watanabe: Let’s take a break. 

 

Urogataya: I’m not gonna object to that. 

 

**Watanabe turned the TV off and popped the DVD out of its player. He held it up and squinted at it, fiddling with the underside so that it changed colors as the light hit it.**

 

Urogataya: I mean, the ending fight sure was something, huh?

 

Watanabe: It was alright. I mean, like, it was cool. But pretty badly choreographed compared to the earlier ones. 

 

Watanabe: Maybe they had a staff change or something halfway through the season. I dunno. 

 

Urogataya: Wait, how do you know about this? You’re a rock climber, not a fighter. 

 

Watanabe: I can have interests. 

 

Urogataya: ...Right. 

 

Watanabe: Also, ‘cause of my dad. 

 

Urogataya: Your dad? Does he know a lot about fighting?

 

Watanabe: [grumbling] You could say that. 

 

Urogataya: ...Elaborate. 

 

Watanabe: Fine. 

 

**Watanabe started awkwardly waving his hands and doing a particularly awkward impression of a sports announcer.**

 

Watanabe: Live from the Saitama Super Arena… standing at a whopping 6’11”... it’s the lizard king of the ring… King Komodoooo. Raaaahhhhhhhh.

 

Watanabe: That last part was the audience cheering or something. 

 

Urogataya: Wait just a- hang on! King Komodo is your DAD?! The puro wrestler?

 

Watanabe: That’s the one. 

 

Urogataya: Ohhhhh my gosh, that’s so cool! A couple of my friends at my old school used to be so into wrestling stuff. They talked about him, like, all the time. 

 

Watanabe: ...Right. Cool. 

 

Urogataya: His match at the Tokyo Dome was legenda- is something wrong? 

 

Watanabe: Nah. I’m cool.

 

Urogataya: Do you have some kind of daddy issues, Watanabe-kun?

 

Watanabe: ...Daddy issues. 

 

**That was not the right way to phrase that. Good job once again, me.**

 

Urogataya: I-I mean, problems with your dad. 

 

Watanabe: No, I know what you meant. I don’t have any problems with him. He’s fine. 

 

Watanabe: Just wish he wasn’t away all the time is all. I kind of wish I could spend more time with him or something. 

 

Urogataya: Right. Since he’s away on tour all the time… 

 

Watanabe: Actually, he quit wrestling recently. He’s too old. 

 

Urogataya: ...But he’s still away?

 

Watanabe: He works for some software company now. Future function or something? Whatever. 

 

Watanabe: Not important. What IS important: season 2 of  _ Kick of the Big Dipper _ . 

 

Urogataya: I think I’m going to have to pass on that one… I’ve had enough anime for a LONG time. 

 

Watanabe: Fair enough. 

 

**I thought that Watanabe’s lack of enthusiasm came from his personality, but I do think that he might just be a lonely person. From the sound of it, he’s spent a lot of his childhood without his dad, someone who’s really important to him. I think spending time with other people could really help improve his social skills… though it’s a matter of getting him to spend time with other people in the first place.**

 

**I think I understand Watanabe better now.**

 

**FREE TIME END**

  
  


**Bleary-eyed from the excess of TV I had just watched, I stumbled back to my room in a daze. I was almost ready to pass out, but then I noticed the time… geez, it wasn’t late at all! It was actually about time for dinner - at least, the time dinner would normally be. I wasn’t sure if Handa had come out of his room or not.**

 

**I decided to head down anyway. I was feeling a little hungry, so even if everyone else wasn’t there I could get something to eat.**

 

**Fortunately, by the time I got there, almost everyone was there - aside from Handa, and surprisingly, Rowena. Hanako. Whatever.**

 

Urogataya: Something smells… actually, really good in here. 

 

Baisotei: Ah, there you are. Ando-kun said that he’d cook dinner tonight. 

 

Nosaka: An’ the cleaning?

 

Baisotei: He didn’t say. Are you volunteering?

 

Nosaka: Hell no! Y’all can do that yourself! 

 

Irie: Your timing is impeccable. You’re one of the last ones here, yet again.

 

Urogataya: Uh… thanks. 

 

**Most of the remaining students were talking amongst each other, though Murakami was definitely doing the most talking. He seemed to be animatedly telling a story. I was too late to know the full context, though, so I just slid into a seat near Crane.**

 

Urogataya: What’s been going on here?

 

Crane: Murakami told us a bunch of weird stories about times he got lucky. There sure are a lot of them, it seems. 

 

Crane: Some of them… sound kind of weird, though… 

 

Urogataya: How do you mean?

 

Murakami: Oh, I know the one you’re talking about. No one believes me when I talk about the one time I sent money in response to a Nigerian Prince email and it turned out to be an actual Nigerian prince. 

Crane: You were listening…?

 

**Murakami had sidled up next to us in the middle of our conversation. His expression was nothing if not bemused - that was the best way to describe it.**

 

Murakami: Oh, believe me. I never lie. Stretch the truth, maybe, but never lie. 

 

Urogataya: What about lies of omission?

 

Murakami: I don’t know the meaning of the word, my dear. 

 

Nosaka: Ughh! You sound so fucking cool when you talk like that! 

 

Watanabe: Are you two done. I’m hungry. 

 

Nosaka: Well, if you’re so hungry, you can eat my di-

 

????: Food’s done! 

 

**With impeccable timing, Ando walked out of the kitchen balancing several platters.**

 

Ando: Rolled omelets ‘n beef bowls are all I can make, so I hope it’s enough. 

 

Tachibana: Ando-kun! Those look sooooo good… mm, I’m starving! 

 

Murakami: Yeah, not having gourmet food for one meal made me want to die. 

 

Ando: Erm… good t’ know? 

 

**He started handing out the food, which did look pretty appetizing.**

 

Urogataya: Psst, Ando-kun. How’s your… condition?

 

Ando: Huh?

 

**I made a quick jerking motion with my hand. Ando turned red as a tomato.**

 

Ando: Uhh… no one’s been askin’ me about it, so… 

 

Urogataya: Oh, thank god. I thought Nosaka-kun would’ve tried to drag it out.

 

Nosaka: I can hear you! You’re really bad at being quiet!

 

**Shit, I probably shouldn’t have said anything about that… now I just made it awkward for everyone. Ando just gave me a quick smile and moved on.**

 

Baisotei: Now everyone’s here, except for our stragglers… should we wait on them? Giselle-san, has Handa-san spoken to you recently?

 

Giselle: When I talk to him, he was still in  _ der pyjama _ ! Ahaha… 

 

Giselle: ...Am a little worried. 

 

Crane: I’m sure he’ll be fine. Rowena-chan, too - yesterday was hard for everyone. 

 

Baisotei: If they don’t return, I’ll take it upon myself to talk to them. If… if that’s quite alright?

 

Urogataya: Huh? You don’t need to a-

 

Watanabe: Screw this. Let’s eat. 

 

Nosaka: Alriiiiiight! 

 

Baisotei: … 

 

**Everyone dug in after that. Despite the absences, dinner that night was full of conversation - I could have almost forgotten that we were trapped here, the camaraderie was so genuine. No matter what happened, though, no one could escape the feeling looming over all of our heads.**

 

**I tried not to think about it as I tucked into my food. It** **_was_ ** **really good. I’d have to thank Ando later.**

  
  


**It took me a while to eat, so by the time I had finished, almost everyone else had left. Off to bed, or to spend some time by themselves, or something else. I decided to put my dishes in the kitchen, instead of just leaving them on the table like I normally did.**

 

**I wasn’t the only one who had had that idea, though - when I got there, Tachibana was scrubbing a plate. A comically big pile of dishes was stacked up next to her, almost dwarfing the smaller girl.**

 

Tachibana: Urogataya-chan! Hihiiii! 

 

Urogataya: So I guess Nosaka-kun wasn’t volunteering to clean up after all. How’s it going? 

 

Tachibana: Well, I mean… this sure is a lot of dishes. I dunno how Handa-kun does it. 

 

Urogataya: Here, uh. Let me help you with that. 

 

Tachibana: Awww, thanks! 

 

[CG: Urogataya and Tachibana washing the dishes]

 

**I started to help Tachibana with the dishes, washing them and passing them to her to dry. The work got done a lot faster than it would have if she were just doing it herself.**

 

**We didn’t talk much while we were working. Just the sound of the running water of the sink was between us.**

 

**Then, Tachibana spoke up.**

 

Tachibana: I really wanna… like, uh… I gotta tell you something. 

 

Urogataya: Eh…? 

 

Tachibana: I mean… gah, this is awkward. 

 

Tachibana: I feel like I need to explain what happened yesterday. At the trial. 

 

Urogataya: Yeah, I remember. But you really don’t need to- I mean, if you don’t want to-

 

Tachibana: No, it’s fine. I just really need to get it out there, somehow. And I trust you. 

 

Tachibana: It’s… something I’ve been holding onto for a long time, anyway. 

 

[CG: Tachibana close-up. ¾ view] 

 

Tachibana: A couple years ago, I was approached by a young couple. Some clients. They wanted me to plan their wedding.

 

Tachibana: The man wanted hydrangeas in the flower arrangements. It was a weird choice, y’know? Most people want roses, or something… 

 

Tachibana: But he had specific tastes, he said. So I obliged. It was just flowers. 

 

Tachibana: And his fiancee was, like, really sweet and earnest. They seemed perfect. 

 

Tachibana: … 

 

Tachibana: A couple of days before their wedding, the groom invited me to his apartment. He said he wanted to plan a surprise for his fiancee. At the wedding, I mean. 

 

Tachibana: But when I showed up, he didn’t seem interested in that at all in what he’d called me for. I started to feel… bad. 

 

Tachibana: A-and I tried to leave, but he cornered me and said he wasn’t done. I was so scared, I kept kicking, but he got me on the bed and then he… 

 

Tachibana: … 

 

Tachibana: ...Did things… to me. 

 

Tachibana: I… 

 

Urogataya: Tachibana-san, I’m… I’m so sorry. 

 

[CG: Tachibana close-up, crying. ¾ view] 

 

Tachibana: He let me go after, my m-mom was even waiting in the car… but I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t tell anyone. I just… 

 

Tachibana: I faked sick the day of the wedding. I normally show up, but I just… I couldn’t. I just laid in bed all day and stared at the ceiling. 

 

Tachibana: He and his… his wife, they sent me a thank-you card along with their payment. For the flowers. 

 

Tachibana: I didn’t even read it. 

 

Tachibana: They were just… they were just flowers. 

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Tachibana: … 

 

Tachibana: ...A-and that’s the end of that. 

 

Tachibana: Now I just feel like I… I can’t practice what I preach. It’s not for me, not anymore. Not a broken person like me. So I… 

 

[CG: Tachibana and Urgataya hugging]

 

**Without thinking, I scooped Tachibana up in a tight embrace. I could feel her muscles tense.**

 

Tachibana: Rumi-cha-

 

Urogataya: I’m sorry… I’m so, so sorry! 

 

Tachibana: No, really, it’s okay-

 

Urogataya: No, it’s not. But… you shouldn’t blame yourself. Not at all. Please. 

 

Tachibana: I-

 

Urogataya: You deserve everything in the world! And no one should be able to take that away from you! People here love you, your friends do, and people outside love what you do… none of this is your fault, Tachibana-san. You’re a wonderful person.

 

Urogataya: If you’re not ready to love, then… then that’s up to you. Just know that there are people who care about you and will support you every step of the way, until you’re ready. And maybe you’ll never be, and that’s okay.

 

Urogataya: But you’re not a broken person. You’re wonderful. Don’t ever forget that… 

 

Tachibana: R-Rumi-chan…! 

 

**We were both crying by that point… just the two of us in the kitchen, alone with a stack of dirty dishes.**

 

**I couldn’t put the rest of my feelings into words, and I suspected that she couldn’t, either. There’s no way to fix a thing like that. No number of inspiring speeches can. But knowing that there’s someone there for her…**

 

**We stood there for a while - not talking, just understanding. That was all.**

  
  


**After a while, we wished each other goodnight and went our separate ways. I had a lot on my mind that night. So I returned to my room expecting a quiet evening alone.**

 

**And that’s what I got… for the most part, at least.**

 

**After about an hour, there was a pounding knock at my door.**

 

Urogataya: Huh…? 

 

**Who could it be at this hour? It couldn’t be Monokuma, since he normally announced the motives over the intercom.**

 

**Out of curiosity, I walked over to my door and swung it open - but the person standing outside was one of the last people that I expected.**

 

**Standing outside in the darkened dorm hallway was Rowena-Hanako, eyes wide, clothes rumpled. Standing stock-still.**

 

Urogataya: Rowena-san? Are you… are you okay?

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Urogataya: Do you want to come in?

 

Rowena?: Uh! No. I don’t want to come in. No. I do not.

 

Urogataya: ...Okay?

 

**What’s even happening?**

 

Rowena?: I need an… uh… I want you to… 

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Rowena?: You, girl! 

 

Urogataya: What?

 

Rowena?: I want you to give me a- I need a- a mmmmmmmm-

 

Urogataya: What in the world are you talking about?

 

Rowena?: Argh, be patient, woman! I need a m-

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: Gah! Never mind! Tomorrow! I'll ask tomorrow!

 

Urogataya: Wait, Rowena-

 

**She had run off to her room before I could even finish… I heard the sound of her door slamming. Then, everything was still.**

 

**What the hell just happened?**

 

**I suppose the only thing for me to do is to go to bed and find out tomorrow…**

 

**With that and my whirlwind of complicated emotions in mind, I managed to drift off into an uneasy sleep.**

 

**\-------------------------**

 

**Monokuma Theatre**

 

Monokuma: Two scientist bears walk into a bar after work one day.

 

Monokuma: The first one says to the bartender, “I’ll have the H2O”

 

Monokuma: The second bear says “who the hell orders water at a bar? Get me a scotch!”

 

Monokuma: The bartender goes to get both the bears their drinks. 

 

Monokuma: The first scientist bear is crestfallen. His assassination attempt has failed. His coworker has been having an affair with his wife for months, and he had planned to poison him with hydrogen peroxide.

 

Monokuma: But what now? The bear looks up to the sky and cries “Whyyyy?!”

 

Monokuma: The bartender bear arrives with the water and the scotch. “Here are your drinks, sirs,” he says… 

 

Monokuma: ...Before pulling out a shotgun and shooting them both point-blank.

 

Monokuma: So remember, kids. Plotting your friend’s murder is almost as bad as doing something to warrant that happening to you!

 

Monokuma: Don’t ask me to elaborate! I’m only a bear! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm going to be monitoring the comments very closely on this chapter. please be respectful. 
> 
> free time events poll is still open. come vote for your faves here: http://www.strawpoll.me/14585291
> 
> as an update, i'm collaborating with one of my artist friends to make sprites of the doa characters. canon title cards will be uploaded to the first chapter when all of them are finished - said friend will be credited and their fangan promoed in the first chapter notes, so look out for that.
> 
> All comments are appreciated! Feel free to leave your predictions, theories, and anything else you have to say down below. Thank you!


	22. Chapter 3: Reinventing the Wheel (Part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I apologize for the wait on chapters every chapter, but I really am sorry this time. I got hit with hardcore senioritis, not to mention a ton of exams (I just finished my APs this week)
> 
> I'd also like to apologize for the comments being locked to anonymous users: i kept receiving anonymous death threats/suicide baiting/etc. While I know who the person who sent these is, ao3 somehow still doesn't have a blocking system, so anon is staying locked for now. If you have something you want to say to me but don't have an ao3 account, come into the server and say it to me directly: https://discord.gg/XqmFjF5

**Eh…?**

 

**The next morning, I found myself staring at the ceiling from where I lay on my bed. I felt like I had been awake for a while, but only now had I realized it. I probably zoned out and missed the morning announcement, too… The clock told me that only half an hour or so had passed, but I felt like I had barely slept.**

 

**Dragging myself out of bed, I stopped in front of my vanity and gave myself a long hard look in the mirror. My face was the same, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe my hair had grown a little longer… How long had I been here, anyway?**

 

**I watched the color drain from my own face when I realized that we had only been at the mall for two weeks. Or… maybe it had only been one week, or maybe three…**

 

**Was I depressed? Was this what depression feels like? Just days upon days that don’t feel like anything? Maybe there was a light at the end of the tunnel, but if there was, it sure was far away.**

 

**Maybe the bookstore had calendars, I thought, even though I doubted it.**

 

**Well, in any case, everyone was probably having breakfast right about now. I should probably go and meet them.**

  
  


**After getting dressed and ready, I started to head out towards the hallway - only to find that not everyone had gone to the food court as I had initially thought. There was someone standing in the hallway. As I looked closer, I could see that it was…**

 

[Talk to Murakami]

 

Murakami: Moooornin’, princess. You sure slept late.

 

Urogataya: Speak for yourself! Your clothes are all wrinkled… 

 

Murakami: [Yawns] Well, excuse me for living. Can’t a dude take a nap around here?

 

Urogataya: I mean… yeah. Watanabe-kun does it all the time. 

 

Murakami: Then I rest my case~ I could really sleep all day if I wanted to, since Bai-chan’s grown so lax lately. 

 

Urogataya: I guess so.

 

**Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve been alone with Murakami in a long, long time.**

 

**I wonder if I can ask him about what I saw a few nights ago, before the last murder…**

 

**Would he even be willing to give me an answer?**

 

Murakami: Do you have a question?

 

Urogataya: Huh- eh? How did you know?

 

Murakami: I can see it in your eyes. Heh, you’re so transparent. 

 

Urogataya: Well, I was wondering- when you-

 

Murakami: And I already know what you’re asking, too. You’re suspicious about those stories I was telling before, right?

 

Urogataya: What? No, I wasn’t asking that at all-

 

Murakami: Now, Urogataya-chan. If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a liar. The only lying I do is by omission, I don’t say anything that’s not true. I think lies are an incredibly transparent way to make yourself seem more complex than you are.

 

Urogataya: You aren’t even listening-

 

???: K-KYA!!

 

**We both flinched at that sudden interruption, giving Murakami a perfect opportunity to not have to answer my questions.**

 

**Right behind us was… Giselle, spread-eagled on the floor in an impossible position. She looked particularly uncomfortable.**

 

Urogataya: G-Giselle-san?! What are you doing?

 

Giselle: Ah… I tripped!

 

Murakami: Hoo-wee, what the hell is this? You puttin’ on a show for me? Well, I’m flattered, but I don’t swing that way.

 

Giselle: That… that is NOT it at all! G-good morning!

 

**...Where did she even come from?**

 

**She probably woke up late, too… I helped her up, since it was clear that Murakami wasn’t going to do anything.**

 

Giselle:  _ Danke _ , Rumi!

 

Murakami: Well, I’m off to breakfast now. I’m famished. Oh, and by the way, Urogataya-chan. You dropped this.

 

**Before I could even respond, he had opened my palm and gently placed a small metal object inside of it. Murakami closed my fingers around it.**

 

Murakami: Ta-ta~!

 

Urogataya: Wait, you didn’t even-! Ugh!

 

**I didn’t even get to ask him about that night… did he know that I was going to ask him?**

 

**Knowing Murakami, though, he probably does this with everyone. It wouldn’t be out of character for him to act like this, anyway - it probably wasn’t that important.**

 

Urogataya: That guy… 

 

Giselle: Hm? Something wrong, Rumi?

 

Urogataya: It’s nothing too important. Don’t worry about it.

 

**Once he was gone, I opened my hand to see what he had given me - much to my surprise, it was Arakawa’s silver ring. I squinted at it.**

 

**When had I taken that off…?**

  
  


**Eventually, I made my way down to the food court. There, I was greeted by an unusual scene.**

 

[CG: Handa stands on a table, pointing aggressively. A bunch of assorted students are watching, with varying degrees of amusement]

 

Handa: -And with this, I swear to you that I am reborn! A new man, better than my father before me!

 

Ando: You’re scuffin’ up the table… 

 

**Handa didn’t listen, though. He kept prattling on dramatically, a fire burning in his eyes. It was hard to tune him out as I tried to get a handle on the situation.**

 

Urogataya: What’s… going on?

 

Tachibana: Handa-kun’s back! Yay!

 

Urogataya: ...I can tell.

 

Crane: He’s been on this tirade for a good twenty minutes, now. 

 

Nosaka: Yeah! Who the hell does he think he is, some kinda shonen protagonist?

 

Crane: No, I think it’s good that he’s gotten to this point. You don’t?

 

Nosaka: Nope! Guess I’ll die, then.

 

Handa: -Thus is the folly of man, that we let the actions of those before us shape our paths-

 

Murakami: If Hanakiyo-chan was here, she’d be creaming herself right about now.

 

Baisotei: Don’t be rude. By the way, has anyone seen her?

 

Irie: Not since yesterday, no. If necessary, I could check up on her.

 

Urogataya: I think that’d be a good idea, Irie-san - I’ve been worried about her lately. 

 

Baisotei: We all have - it’s approaching her that’s the hard part. 

 

Giselle: Ah, poor her… 

 

Handa: -To die, to sleep- no more, and by a sleep we say end-

 

Ando: He’s really makin’ a mess of that table, ain’t he. 

 

Watanabe: [blinks] I’m hungry. 

 

Nosaka: We’re all hungry, jackass. 

 

Tachibana: Hm? Nosaka-kun’s really irritable today… 

 

Nosaka: I’m in the mood to kick anyone’s ass!

 

Tachibana: Eep!

 

**After what seemed like forever…**

 

Handa: And there I- [cough] [wheeze]

 

Handa: [hacking]

 

Handa: ...That’s it.

 

Watanabe: … 

 

Watanabe: Can we have an abridged version? 

 

Baisotei: Handa-san is striving to be a better person after how he acted towards everyone initially. 

 

Handa: [clutching his stomach] Pre… Precisely. 

 

Handa: I want to make it up to you all. I’m sorry for my behavior. 

 

Handa: You don’t even have to call me Handa-san anymore… call me what you like. Even “Han-chan”.

 

Tachibana: That’s too cute a name! You’re too rugged and manly for that.

 

Ando: Rugged…? 

 

**Despite the ridiculousness of the whole situation, I couldn’t help but feel something that I hadn’t felt in a very long time… hope. If even someone like Handa could change for the better, then maybe mountains could be moved and tides could be turned.**

 

**Maybe… we could get out of here, someday.**

 

**Baby steps, Rumi. Start small for now, and then…**

 

Urogataya: Thank you, Handa-kun! 

 

Crane: Yeah, it’s totally okay. 

 

Baisotei: [nods] Mhmm. 

 

Handa: I… thank you, everyone. 

 

Handa: I’ll start making it up to you.

 

Murakami: You can start by making some fuckin’ food. A bitch has to eat. 

 

Handa: That I can do!

 

Irie: Excellent.

 

Tachibana: Yaaaaayyy! We get good food again! Not that Ando-kun’s breakfasts weren’t good, but now we get gourmet stuff!

 

Ando: Don’t you worry about offendin’ me, I’m pretty deferrent already.

 

Urogataya: Is that a good thing…? 

 

**It seemed that everything was getting better, but…**

 

**Around here, nothing gold can stay. That’s just the way it’s been since I first set foot here.**

 

**Because…**

 

*Ding dong ding dong*

 

Monokuma: How are you doing, everyone? It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing! Too bad they’re outside, and you don’t get to see any of them.

 

Monokuma: A day as special as this deserves a special announcement, and you ungrateful slackers deserve a new motive! Sooo… 

 

Monokuma: Come on up to the second floor entrance, pronto! This time, it’s personal- I mean, it’s mandatory. Now, stop being all buddy-buddy and get up here! Toodles!

 

**The pleasant mood evaporated from the room in an instant, replaced by a sense of quiet, uncomfortable dread as everyone nervously glanced at each other. Even Handa had been momentarily silenced.**

 

Crane: … 

 

Crane: ...Well, we know it can’t be as bad as the motive last time. 

 

Irie: And how would you know that? 

 

Tachibana: Anything’s better than the last motive~! Anythiiiing! 

 

Ando: You’re… oddly cheerful… 

 

Baisotei: Well, she has a right to be. No matter what this motive is, I swear that no one will kill anyone else over it.

 

Murakami: Yeah, because that worked out so well the last time.

 

Baisotei: This is not a time for you to be unnecessarily antagonistic, Murakami-kun. It’s a time for us to come together as a group. 

 

Nosaka: But I’m hungryyyyy… 

 

Handa: Food will just have to wait, then. It appears we must face Monokuma head-on. 

 

Urogataya: I’m afraid you’re right… 

 

Giselle: … 

 

Irie: Well, there’s no use standing around here like this. Come on. 

 

Giselle: Still no Rowena… 

 

Baisotei: As concerning as the situation is, it  _ is _ a mandatory announcement. She’ll show up. 

 

Ando: Let’s get movin’, then. 

  
  


**We managed to exit the food court and crammed onto an escalator, making our way up to the second floor. Despite the change in everyone’s attitude, the ascent was still oddly quiet - we’d been hyping each other up so much that no one had much of anything to say.**

 

**Fearmongering was always an option, but not one that anyone wanted to consider right now.**

 

**Soon, we were all standing around the locked mall exit, watching as light streamed through its translucent glass covering.**

 

Irie: Late again… the nerve. Calling us here and then not even showing up. And he calls himself a headmaster?

 

Crane: No one else calls him a headmaster, so I think that’s taken care of. 

 

???????: Haha… yeah… 

 

**I turned at the new voice to see someone who I hadn’t seen since yesterday - Rowena. Hanako? I don’t know? Whatever. Her hair was a mess, and she was wearing a bathrobe.**

 

**It seems like staying in pajamas is the trend for people going through identity crises lately…**

 

Tachibana: Rowenaaaaa!

 

Baisotei: How are y-

 

Rowena?: … 

 

Rowena?: Well-

 

**She barely had a chance to finish before we were interrupted yet again.**

 

**The second interruption, unfortunately, was a lot less pleasant than Rowena’s sudden reappearance. It was also the one that we had come up here for - Monokuma, walking right towards us.**

 

**But… what was he wearing?**

 

[CG: Monokuma. He’s wearing a straw hat, gaudy sunglasses, and a Hawaiian shirt. He’s carrying a suitcase stuffed with luggage.]

 

Monokuma: Aloha~!

 

Giselle: Ah, aloha…?

 

Watanabe: Alola. 

 

Handa: That’s culturally insensitive. 

 

Urogataya: What exactly is this supposed to be, anyway?

 

Monokuma: Smelly Nelly’s getting straight to the point here! Can’t a bear soak up some sun, take some time to relax? I live a hard life controlling killing games, and it ain’t exactly a dream job. 

 

Irie: That’s funny. I rather thought you enjoyed it.

 

Monokuma: And I do! But it’s HAAAAAARD, and I’m TIIIIIIIRED. Not that you young prodigies would get that. 

 

Nosaka: Cut the crap already, I’m starvin’! What’s the motive?

 

Monokuma: Well, take a look at these!

 

**He opened his suitcase and threw a handful of brochures at us. I managed to get my hands on one before it hit me in the face.**

 

**The pamphlet was covered with photography of a lush island resort, crawling with beautifully verdant plants. A teal ocean stretched out in the distance. The photos that weren’t of the scenery were of the resort’s accomodations - a swanky hotel, a pristine pool, and a spa. Oddly, the spa photographs all featured people in Monokuma masks as masseuses, while a Monokuma was being massaged.**

 

Urogataya: … 

 

Urogataya: ...What? 

 

Nosaka: Oh yeah, I think I sold a guy a fake timeshare here once.

 

Monokuma: What do you think? Gorgeous, huh? 

 

Handa: Allow me to wager a guess - if someone kills, they win a vacation at this resort. 

 

Irie: We are academic elites. There is no way that someone is going to fall for something like th-

 

Monokuma: Ah, you all are so quick to put words in my mouth! When did I ever say that? You WISH you were going here!

 

Monokuma: But you’re not, so too bad! I’M going here! I’m taking a vacation! 

 

**Wait, what?**

 

Tachibana: Yay! No more Monokuma! 

 

Monokuma: I’m sure you’d just love to have me gone forever, but I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. I’ll be on vacation for  **three days** ! Until then, all of the rules unrelated to killing are nullified!

 

**This point caused everyone’s ears to perk up - it was a real boon for everyone involved, and didn’t even require killing to get? No rules, except the killing ones… I would have liked to brush those off as being unnecessary, but I wasn’t so sure about no one killing anymore.**

 

Watanabe: So, like… why. 

 

Watanabe: What kind of a motive is this. You’re going away no matter if someone kills or not. 

 

Watanabe: Don’t you… (yawn) think this is kind of useless. 

 

Monokuma: Don’t be silly, Watanabe-kun! It opens up a new world of killing possibilities to you. Imagine all the brutalistic things you could do now, without the fear of me judging you! 

 

Monokuma: ...By the way, can you put sunscreen on my back? 

 

Watanabe: Die. 

 

Monokuma: Well, none of you are any fun, so I’m not sticking around! I’ve got a flight to board, after all. So long! 

 

**We all watched as he waddled towards the door, and much to our surprise - undid the lock. He slipped out.**

 

Urogataya: Hey, wait--!

 

Crane: An opening! Everyone run! 

 

**Everyone burst towards the door in an instant of fervor, but Monokuma had already locked it from the other side. I found my cheek smashed against the glass, my ears ringing from the pain.**

 

Urogataya: Owwww… 

 

Ando: No more Monokuma… this could be a real kettle of fish. 

 

Rowena?: Haaah… 

 

Baisotei: I propose that we take action immediately. Anyone who wants to come and join me, we will take advantage of our new state of anarchy and see if we can discover anything useful. Watanabe-kun is physically strong, so I’d like for him to come with me - anyone else can join if they want. 

 

Watanabe: Whatever.

 

**Crane and Giselle walked over to Baisotei’s side, joining her crusade. Handa started to go off, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.**

 

Nosaka: Hey, jackass. We still haven’t eaten yet. 

 

Handa: Oh, of course… my apologies, then! I’ll start on breakfast posthaste, you can count on me! 

 

**He bolted down the escalator before any of us could stop him. It was weird seeing Handa run in his stiff dress pants and shiny shoes.**

 

Baisotei: If we find anything useful, we’ll be sure to gather you all here - there’s got to be some kind of loophole. 

 

Crane: ‘Til then, peace!

 

**Was it really going to be that easy, though?**

  
  


**Breakfast passed without much event - it was nice having Handa back, though. I really hoped that this would be the start of something new for him, and that he could finally really open up to us. I had a little nagging feeling in my gut that something was about to go wrong, but I tried my best to ignore it.**

 

**Afterwards, we all dispersed - Baisotei and her crew to investigate, the rest of us to… do whatever. It was beginning to seem that we didn’t do all that much together, most of the time.**

 

**Maybe I should take the time to talk to some people I haven’t seen around much.**

 

**FREE TIME START!**

 

**At first I wasn’t sure who I was going to hang around with, so I decided to try my luck and talk to whoever was in the first place I entered. This happened to be the pharmacy - aside from getting snacks from there, I hadn’t really used it all that much. I guess Monokuma couldn’t have anyone dying from an illness on his watch, though, so it remained open.**

 

**As luck would have it, there was exactly one person in the pharmacy.**

 

[Talk to Ando]

 

Ando: I can’t shake the feelin’ that if Monokuma ain’t here, he’s off doin’ something even worse… maybe that’s just me worrying, though. Could be nothin’.

 

**Should I hang out with Ando?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Ando: ...Me? This l’il ol’ country bumpkin?

 

Urogataya: H-hey, you don’t need to remind me of that… 

 

Ando: S’all good, I don’t hold a grudge. I’ll do my best to entertain you, anyway. 

 

Urogataya: Really, I just wanna talk. You don’t have to try anything. 

 

**I listened to Ando as he told me stories about his life before coming to Hope’s Peak, when he lived on the farm. I didn’t want to say anything this time, but it felt like he was trying to check off every single box on a list of country hick tropes… but I didn’t want to have a repeat of “country bumpkin”, so I held my tongue. The stories were interesting, anyway.**

 

**I think that we grew closer.**

 

Urogataya: Ando-kun, there’s one thing that I wanna know. Why specifically cows? It sounds like your family raises a lot of livestock, so… 

 

Ando: Well, I ain’t  _ bad _ with other animals, per se. I just started early with cows and ended up sticking with ‘em the most - my brothers mostly help out with the pigs and chickens and the like. 

 

Urogataya: Probably not a bad choice, honestly. Baby cows are so cute… especially the fluffy ones. 

 

Ando: I’m afraid I don’t raise Highland cows. They’re Scottish… I mostly work with Tajima cattle. 

 

Urogataya: ...Well, I don’t know what kind those are, but they sound cute. 

 

Ando: They’re the kind that Wagyu beef comes from.

 

**Huh?**

 

Urogataya: Wait, your family sells cows to be butchered…? 

 

Ando: Sometimes, not always. I mean, we work with Hishimeki Co. and the like for dairy farming sometimes, but… 

 

Urogataya: Does it ever make you feel kind of sad, though? The fact that you raise these cows, but then you have to send them off to be killed?

 

Ando: A little, but that’s just the way of the world. Food’s gotta come from somewhere, most people just don’t think about it.

 

Ando: My first cow was named Sumi, when I was about five or so… I loved that thing. Brushed ‘im every day, tried to ride him around… like a cowboy, or somethin’. 

 

**Why do I feel like this story isn’t going to end well?**

 

Ando: I came home from school one day to find out that he’d been sold. 

 

**And there it is.**

 

Urogataya: That’s horrible! That poor thing… 

 

Ando: It’s just how things work. I was too young to know that. 

 

Ando: Now that I think about it, I don’t remember who he got sold to… it could’ve been another farm, not a butcher. 

 

Urogataya: I’m gonna choose to believe that. I want to think that there’s still some good things in the world, y’know? 

 

Ando: Yeah, me too. 

 

Ando: Well, at least I didn’t get attached to the pigs. Ain’t no use for those but food.

 

Urogataya: Ando-kun… 

 

Ando: What? I was just tryin’ to lighten the mood. You look down all of a sudden.

 

Urogataya: Well, no offense… I guess I just prefer to not think about where my food comes from.

 

Ando: Most people don’t, but I ain’t got that luxury. If ya feel that way, maybe you should become a vegetarian. 

 

Urogataya: I-I’m not doing that, either!

 

**Ando’s a down-to-earth kind of guy, but maybe a little too down-to-earth when it comes to things like this - or maybe I’m just oversensitive. After all, since he works with animals for a living, he probably has a better understanding of them than I do. But his whole “way of the world” talk… is it really better to chalk things up to just being forces of nature, or should you do something against them?**

 

**I think I understand Ando better now.**

  
  


**After saying goodbye to Ando, I returned to my room.**

 

**I think I have more free time, though - I should hang out with someone else.**

  
  


**There was one person who I hadn’t had a one-on-one conversation with in a while, and I figured that I should make an effort to seek them out. There was only one place that I assumed they would be - the food court. I mean, they probably went to other places, but dinner was nearing. I figured I could catch them around there.**

 

**Sure enough, I was exactly right.**

 

[Talk to Handa]

 

Handa: I must say, I’m not used to cooking for others. people usually do it for me. But you can never leave a monkey to do a man’s work, which is why I’ve taken up the task here.

 

Handa: Cooking for twelve is… still rather tiring, though.

 

**Should I hang out with Handa?**

 

**Yes** / No

 

Handa: Well, I suppose that listening to someone talk could make the work go faster. Please, tell me about yourself.

 

Urogataya: Are you sure you don’t want to-

 

Handa: No, please. I insist. 

 

Urogataya: Alright, then!

 

**I spent time prattling on about whatever was on my mind to Handa. Mostly, I tried not to bring up anything about our current situation - Handa had been too stressed out lately, and I didn’t want to add to that. I mostly talked about stuff at my own school - by the time he had stopped to take a break, he was well-educated in just about every part of my old high school’s gossip.**

 

Urogataya: -And so Futaba-chan was like “I think she’s really trashy”, and Hayasaka-chan was like “Well, you’re just as bad”.

 

Handa: And this was after the latter had discovered that the former had been texting her boyfriend, correct?

 

Urogataya: Yeah, but Futaba-chan didn’t know that she knew about Mutsumi-kun. So I was like “Oh my god”, but I didn’t actually say it, because… y’know, she didn’t know that she knew. 

 

Handa: ...I’m afraid I don’t follow.

 

Urogataya: I guess that was kind of confusing… sorry, I guess it wasn’t as confusing to me since I was directly involved. 

 

Handa: Well, I hope it worked out. 

 

Urogataya: …

 

Urogataya: Hey, Handa-kun. Did you have any friends?

 

Handa: What?

 

Urogataya: -Ah! Sorry, that probably sounded really rude-

 

Handa: No, it’s a perfectly reasonable question. 

 

**I was worried that I had embarrassed myself for a moment there… it wouldn’t be that out-of-character for me.**

 

Handa: Let me think…

 

**That bad, huh?**

 

Handa: Not many. Mainly rivals at culinary school, that place was especially cutthroat. There was no time for friends.

 

Handa: Traveling was different - I did befriend a few of the proprietors and head chefs of restaurants that I enjoyed, but they’re more acquaintances than anything. Contacts.

 

Handa: So I… 

 

Handa: Oh!

 

Urogataya: What?

 

Handa: I suppose that I do have a friend. At least one. 

 

Urogataya: Oh, r-really? That’s good! 

 

Handa: I know that everyone believed me to be a snob, but I do partake in philanthropy from time to time, trying to help out troubled youths in bad areas.

 

**He sounds kind of patronizing, but…**

 

Handa: There was a young man that I got into many arguments with while on one of these excursions - some kind of a delinquent. He refused to eat well, for some reason. It annoyed me to no end.

 

Urogataya: That sounds like it’d be kind of a hassle, but I guess you never know why people are the way they are. 

 

Urogataya: Did you ever find out why?

 

Handa: I’m not at liberty to say exactly why, but yes. 

 

Urogataya: Ah.

 

Handa: We still argued frequently, even after I went on to other places… but I suppose that he is my friend. The only one I have who’s my age, anyway. 

 

**I can kind of see why it’s mostly adults who like Handa. Until recently, his soft side was hidden, and he came off as being kind of an insufferable snob.**

 

Urogataya: Do you miss him? It doesn’t sound like you’ve seen him in a while.

 

Handa: I do, but I know that no matter what has happened in the outside world, he’ll be doing just fine. He was a resourceful sort. The kind of person who you can believe him.

 

Handa: … 

 

Handa: ...I still miss him, though. 

 

**Handa’s soft side may extend much deeper than I thought it did - it does seem like even before now, he genuinely cared for others. It doesn’t seem like he did philanthropy as a rich-people thing, either - maybe he just really wanted to help. I’m glad that Handa’s able to be more positive now, now that he trusts everyone with his secret.**

 

**I think I understand Handa better now.**

  
  


**The rest of the day was completely uneventful - people came and went, and soon it was time for dinner. It’s not like that was very exciting, though - those who had decided to join Baisotei on her expedition were absent, and so was Rowena- I mean, Hanako- I mean, whatever. She still hadn’t said what she wanted to be called, had she?**

 

**It didn’t seem like anyone was really in the mood for talking, though. The conversations had over dinner were mostly small talk, as if everyone just wanted to get out of there as fast as they could.**

 

**After I finished eating, I headed back to my room to get some reading done - I had taken out some books from the bookstore, since it’s not like there was anyone there to stop me. My thoughts briefly returned to the textbook that I had found there what seemed like ages ago. I hadn’t thought about it in a long time, and looking at it was most certainly warranted. I’d have to talk to Irie about it again, but I’m sure she’d be willing to help me, right?**

 

**I read for a while before realizing that since Monokuma was gone, there was no nighttime announcement.**

 

**Eventually, I turned off my light and fell into a deep, dark sleep.**

 

\-------------------------

 

**_In lieu of our normal broadcast, Monokuma Theatre, we will be broadcasting 8 hours of lo-fi smooth jazz music. Thank you for your cooperation!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was worth the wait, even if it didn't have any kind of body drop and was just a motive reveal.
> 
> You can still vote for FTEs here: http://www.strawpoll.me/14585291
> 
> Anyway, with a new motive comes new room to theorize! Who will take advantage of this motive? What is it for? If you have any theories, please leave a comment! I appreciate any feedback I get, it helps me a lot.
> 
> Have a good night and a happy mother's day!


	23. brief update (not part of the fic)

hi! sorry for the radio silence lately. ao3 doesn't have any sort of postmaking feature, so i figure that this is the best place to put this. i just figured that i owe my readers an update on what's going on and why i've been so quiet for so long.

to put it bluntly... i've been really swamped. I graduated from high school a few months ago and am heading off to college this fall, in addition to embarking on a study abroad course in London this Monday. Between that, moderating servers, doing artfight, working on the fic I co-write... yeah, I've been pretty busy and have neglected doa.

that doesn't mean i'm not thinking about it, though!! i have ch3 fully plotted out and intend to continue with it when i get back from London in 2 weeks. i've also been working on redesigns of a few cast members, such as [this one](https://twitter.com/gontabugmail/status/1022841190314590209). Stay tuned for others in the future! 

in addition, I'm also planning on doing updates of a few already existing scenes in the fic - specifically part one of the prologue and some of the free time events. I came up with a few of the latter in the spur of the moment and am not particularly proud of how they turned out, so I wanna make them more in-character.

one final thing, anon commenting is back on! please don't abuse this privilege. 

i'll delete this chapter when I update the fic with actual content. Look for an update hopefully before the end of August, though!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking for fics to read until DOA updates? You're in luck! Here's a few by my friends.
> 
> Fangans: [Drowning in Bittersweet Despair](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10510020/chapters/23193099) || [Supernova at Sea](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12637152/chapters/28795473) || [Rewound Despair](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11511276/chapters/25831755) || [A Quarter Past Despair](https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/35828613)
> 
> Non-DR Death Games: [Kill the Joker](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12189462/chapters/27674829) || [RATS](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14685171/chapters/33929649)
> 
> Other: [Region Trotters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15134393/chapters/35365671)


End file.
